GolfTime Midwest Summer/Fall 2017 by Killarney Golf Media

SUMMER 2017

MIDWEST

The Sensational Sands

Wisconsin’s Sand Valley the Sweetest of Retreats

Gridiron Greats Erin, Go Brag Take a Tour of the Big Rave Reviews for the Ten’s Best Courses

2017 U.S. Open Course

The Circle of Life Out of the Woods The Loop Gives Forest Despite Difficulties, Chicago Dunes Newfound Fame

Project Pulling Ahead

PLUS: An Event to ‘Eclipse’ All Others, Industry Insider, Tournament Previews & More

make your experience

LEGENDARY

LEGENDARY GOLF BY PALMER, PLAYER & TREVINO Whether you’re planning a buddies golf getaway or corporate retreat, Geneva National will tee up a legendary experience on one or all of its three unique masters-designed courses. Located in Southeastern Wisconsin, Geneva National oﬀers customizable Stay & Play packages with lodging at our on-course group villas or other area partner hotels.

GenevaNationalResort.com | Lake Geneva, WI

The Regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premier Club Beloit Club is proud to introduce

Limited National Memberships Available info@thebeloitclub.com

AWARDED

Schedule your preview round of golf Call 608.473.0089

A state-of-the-art indoor facility available year-round for lessons, custom club fittings/repairs, practice, golf rounds, entertainment, and special events. Amenities include 3 multi-sport simulators, SAM Putt Lab, TPI and K-Vest lab, a 3,000 square foot putting green, and full swing driving range.

Open to the public!

MOST IMPROVED

GOLF COURSE

GOLF INC. MAGAZINE 2016

2327 S. Riverside Drive, Beloit, WI 53511 www.beloitclub.com

625 Third Street Suite 100, Beloit, WI 53511 www.IronworksGolfLab.com

Table of Contents

Volume 9, Issue 1

Departments

Publisher’s Note

Bump & Run

22 Featured Courses Map The Open at Erin Hills

Features

Time for Sands 12

Sand Valley’s Grand Opening Proves Worth the Wait

Irish Eyes Are Smiling 40 Erin Hills a Big Hit With U.S. Open Players, Fans

A Virtuous Circle 52

You Won’t Want The Loop at Forest Dunes to End

Running Up the Score 76 The Big Ten’s Best Courses Rate High on Places to Play

Tiger By the Tale 88

Woods Still the Story for Important Chicago Project

26 Chicagoland Featured Courses 34 Instructor’s Corner 37 Practice Range Guide 38 Wisconsin Featured Courses 49 Rules of the Game 50 Michigan Featured Courses 62 Midwest Select Courses

Your complete guide to Chicagoland and surrounding area golf courses

70 The First Tee 102 Industry Insider 108 Pro Golf Preview ON THE COVER: The 136-yard, par-3 eighth hole at Sand Valley.

C O A S TA L A L A B A M A GOLF

Eight signature courses. One amazing destination. Discover why coastal Alabama is emerging as one of the South’s best golfing destinations. With eight championship courses, you have great options to play every day - from scenic coastlines and wetland preserves to rolling hills and links-style golf. Sugar-white sand beaches, top-rated deep-sea fishing, dining, and nightlife options are abundant, but Southern hospitality, fresh seafood, upscale accommodations and of course golf are our specialty. Come see for yourself and experience Coastal Alabama Golf.

Start planning your trip today!

Visit www.golfgulfcoast.com or call 866.324.7779. The Loop

C O A S TA L A L A B A M A GOLF

www.golfgulfcoast.com

Editor’s Note

A Division of Killarney Golf Media, Inc. P.O. Box 14439 Madison, WI 53708

Phone: 608-280-8800 Fax: 866-877-9879

PRESIDENT John Hughes

GENERAL MANAGER Jim Kelsh

jim@golftimemag.com

MARKETING DIRECTOR AND SALES Sarah Starmer

sarah@golftimemag.com

EDITOR Don Shell

editor@golftimemag.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Danny Freels Rob Hernandez Dennis McCann John Morrissett

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Paul Hundley Nile Young Jr.

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Muddy Creek Creative

FOUNDER Kim Thompson

s anyone in the Great Lakes knows, we cram a year’s worth of fun & enjoyment into a four- or five-month span, when the air is warm and the grass is green, and life, my friends, is good. It’s safe to say life has never been better in the Midwest than this summer, with incredible tournaments, amazing new courses, and a once-in-a-lifetime event happening right here in our backyards. We got the party started in June over in Erin, Wisconsin, where millions tuned in and turned out to see Midwest hospitality on full display at the U.S. Open at Erin Hills. Read our recap starting on page 40. Not far up the road, in Rome, Wisconsin, we witnessed the grand opening of a brand new golf resort, the spectacular Sand Valley. It’s the latest project from development dynamo Mike Keiser, and it promises to keep the Midwest on the minds of many golfers this year. Don’t miss our cover story, starting on page 12. A little further down the coast, we take you behind the scenes of another huge project, the Jackson Park/South Shore redevelopment. Designed by Tiger Woods’ TGR Design, the new course will combine the two historic South Chicago courses into one championship track and teaching facility, next to the Obama Presidential Library. Read all about it, beginning on page 88. Any other summer and that would be plenty, but this isn’t your ordinary summer on the Midwest’s golf scene. If all that weren’t enough we also have a look at The Loop, Tom Doak’s latest design and America’s Best New Public Course in 2016 — not to mention the world’s only reversible golf course — on page 52. Still looking for more? Well, this August we’ll witness the first total solar eclipse to cross the entire continental U.S. in 100 years. Lucky us, the epicenter for viewing this magical moment is right here in the Midwest, in southern Illinois’ Williamson County. Mark your calendars, and turn your eyes to our Driveable Destination on page 94. (No special glasses required to read it.) There’s plenty more in store, from great tournaments (page 110), to hot new clubs (page 10), cool people (Industry Insider, page 102), big projects (page 8), and even the Big Ten Conference (page 76). We’ve got it all for you in this issue of GolfTime. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to play some golf! Hope to see you out there.

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Bump & Run

Twice As Nice Michigan’s awesome Arcadia Bluffs readying dramatic new course by Dana Fry You have one of the world’s greatest golf courses, a magical, mystical track on the shores of Lake Michigan, one that was named best new course in the land when it opened back in 1999. Every year golfers flock to your tiny Northern Michigan town of Arcadia to test themselves against your winds, your bunkers, your grassy rough. What could you possibly do for an encore? Something completely different, of course. Some of the best news out of the Midwest this year is that venerable Arcadia Bluffs has enlisted Erin Hills co-architect Dana Fry to build a second course at the club — dubbed The South Course — one very

431-yard, par-4 12th hole of The Bluffs Course.

different than the plush, picturesque Bluffs course rated No. 13 in America and one of the top 100 in the world. “The ultimate goal of this course is that it feels timeless in its design, and will provide golfers an ‘Old World’ golf course feel that few golfers have ever experienced,” Fry said on his website for Fry/ Straka Global Golf Course Design, the company he owns with longtime partner Jason Straka. The team broke ground on the course in fall of 2016, with an expected 2018 opening. We cannot wait. For more information, visit www.arcadiabluffs.com.

NEWS & NOTES FROM THE WORLD OF GOLF

Bump & Run

Bump & Run New Take on the 90-Degree Rule

Preserving a Legacy Addison’s Oak Meadows completes major, impressive upgrade The great Ben Hogan once roamed these fairways, but by most accounts the club known as Oak Meadows in the sleepy Chicago suburb of Addison was looking a little long in the tooth in recent years. Thanks to a visionary, $16.8-million renovation, the renamed Preserve at Oak Meadows is returning to the level it deserved when Hogan won the 1941 Chicago Open there. Part of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, the renovations transform the 27-hole facility into an efficient, excellent 18-hole championship track on the site’s 288 acres, while also better integrating the club into the community itself. “Our work to renovate the course exposes the true beauty of the landscape and its functions,” said Forest Preserve District Commissioner Marsha Murphy. “The new name is a fitting tribute to our agency’s greater conservation purpose and sets the tone for a world-class golf experience.” The renovation duties were handled by architect Greg Martin, a past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects. Only 15 percent of the 288 acres is dedicated to fairways, greens and teeing areas, officials said. Improvements also include a connection to the regional Salt Creek Greenway Trail, making The Preserve accessible to hikers, joggers and cyclists. The Preserve is set to open in July. For more information, visit http://dupagegolf.com.

Meet the Kinder, Gentler USGA As was maybe evident from the U.S. Open at Erin Hills (see page 40), it seems the USGA is turning into an ol’ softy in its 123rd year. The governing body announced a whopping 33 proposed rules changes to the game this spring, many aimed at making life less miserable for the otherwise happy hacker, by removing penalities and speeding up play. Head over to www.usga.org to share your thoughts.

WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Like most parents, I wanted my kids to enjoy the game of golf as much as I do. When my son and daughter were about 11 and 8, respectively, I signed them up for junior golf and often took them to the course to introduce them to the game. One beautiful day as we headed out to play golf, my kids begged to take a riding cart. I said absolutely not, that it was a great day to play a few holes and walk the golf course. I followed up by saying that unless the temperature was over 90 degrees, I wasn’t going to ever consider taking a cart because golf is supposed to be an activity sport. (Plus, we were on a limited budget.) As we walked up to the first tee, the course had placed a large sign indicating “90-degree Rule in Effect,” — of course referring to carts staying on the cart path or in the rough most of the day. My daughter pointed to the sign and exclaimed, “Look, Mom! They have the 90-degree rule here, too!” I laughed at the double meaning of this golf term and still think it brings a smile to any parent or golfer. (And I thanked the course for supporting my walking platform.) — Sarah Starmer

An Anniversary Present — For You Bob Vokey marks his 20th year at Titleist with something special Chocolates. Flowers. A nice dinner out. All OK anniversary gifts. All pale compared to Bob Vokey’s sweet 20th anniversary gift to us. In celebration of the wedge wizard’s 20th anniversary with Titleist, the company released the Vokey Design 456.14 Limited wedge ($250) in June. The 456.14 Limited features a rounded head shape and slightly more offset with 14-degrees of bounce, making it more effective for players with steeper attack angles or those who typically play in softer conditions (like, say, the plush bentgrass of the Midwest?). Other features include TX4 groove technology and a polished chrome finish. Aww, how sweet. Visit www.titelist.com.

And Finally … Topgolf nears fall opening in Indianapolis Topgolf, the golf/entertainment mecca sweeping the nation, is nearing completion on its long-awaited Indianapolis location this fall. The 65,000-square-foot venue, in the suburb of Fishers, is set to open in November with 102 climate-controlled hitting bays and more than 230 TVs. The driving range-meets video game has two Chicago area locations, as well. See you there. WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

THE START OF

SOMETHING

Special Sand Valley Set to Usher In a New Era in Midwest Golf By Dennis McCann

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ROME, Wisconsin — Sand Valley Golf Resort opened for its first full season of golf in early May but delayed the official dedication ceremonies for June 19, the better to seize the attention of the golf world that would be in Wisconsin for the U.S. Open at Erin Hills. In truth, no such calculation was needed. The golf world’s attention has been focused like a laser on Sand Valley since the day it was announced that none other than Mike Keiser had acquired some 1,700 acres of sand dune-blessed, pine-covered land in Adams County for his latest golf resort. Keiser doesn’t build munis. He builds destination layouts like the celebrated golf courses at Oregon’s Bandon Dunes or Nova Scotia’s Cabot Cliffs, and if Keiser was coming to quiet little Adams County it would be to make big noise. 14

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Keiser called in the design game’s big guns to work their magic in Wisconsin. For the first course, Sand Valley, he commissioned architects Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, and for the second course, to be called Mammoth Dunes, he brought in David McLay Kidd, who had helped create Bandon Dunes. Of course, people in golf were watching what Keiser had in mind for Sand Valley, and when the first of what could ultimately be four courses opened for sneak-peek play last summer many found their way to the lightlypopulated region of southern Wisconsin to

see for themselves what was transpiring. Reviews were uniformly positive, raves even. Golf Digest architecture editor Ron Whitten’s first impression was that Sand Valley was “big, bold and pure sand. “Could become a public Pine Valley.” You’ll see that line in Sand Valley’s marketing. No, Keiser’s latest creation won’t lack for attention. Keiser was not looking to build golf courses in Wisconsin when he was contacted a few years back by Craig Haltom of Oliphant Companies, a golf construction and management company. Haltom had been scouring overlooked pockets of Wisconsin searching for a site that offered the sandy conditions needed to support a superior golf course. His search eventually

PREVIOUS SPREAD: Start strong with a driveable par 4, the 335-yard opener. ABOVE: Go big or go home at the longest hole on the course, the 593yard, par-5 fourth. led him to Adams County, about an hour south of a rich agricultural region known as the Central Sands, where he discovered the dune-covered site then owned by a timber company. At the time its potential was obscured beneath the tens of thousands of scrub oak and red pines, but Haltom said he knew almost immediately the stunning sandy topography was what he had been looking for. That was in 2007, just before the big recession brought the golf industry — along with much of the rest of the economy — to WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

LEFT: Sand Valley opened for special “preview” play in fall of 2016, but the main event happened this May. BELOW: The future is now at Sand Valley, with David McLay Kidd’s Mammoth Dunes opening for preview later this year.

its knees. Still, he eventually reached out to Keiser, who agreed to send a representative of KemperSports, which manages Bandon Dunes, to take a look. Keiser said later he didn’t want to like the site because, while it boasted the sandy conditions he favors for golf course construction, it was not on an ocean like his other resorts. But his representative’s report was in full accord with Haltom’s assessment — the site was spectacular and so would be golf courses built on it. “Just what I didn’t want to hear,” Keiser said later. “I didn’t want (because there is no ocean in Wisconsin) to like it.” But when he saw it he, too, loved it. He bought the land from the timber company and began clearing the scrub oak and red pines to fully reveal the Lawrence of Arabia look that stuns visitors when they first see it, a vast sea of sand that soars skyward and tumbles up and down, creating the valleys through which Sand Valley winds. 16

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In a sense, an ocean did contribute to Sand Valley. The site is part of Wisconsin that thousands of years ago was at the bottom of Glacial Lake Wisconsin. When that body of water receded it left behind the deep sand deposits and dunes Haltom discovered a decade ago and which Keiser’s crews have returned to what he called “appealing sand barrens.” In fact, during construction clumps of vegetation were planted among the dunes to help with the sand barren restoration. Sand Valley’s development was greatly aided by the enthusiasm of “founders,” which is Keiser’s term for more than 150 founding members who signed on early and whose $7.5 million in membership fees financed the course. Founders were among the first to enjoy preview rounds when the first holes, aided by favorable growing conditions during construction, were deemed suitable for play. Founders will be allowed unlimited play at Sand Valley

and even have their own concierge in Jacki Koll, whose vanity plate of SV 001 attests to her place as the first employee hired at Sand Valley. Her mission will be to see that during visits founders’ needs and wishes are met, even if it requires a bit of ingenuity. One founding member called on his way to Sand Valley last summer to say he would need a charging station for his Tesla electric car. It took some scrambling by an electrician, but it was waiting when he arrived. Still, Keiser has said he wants Sand Valley to appeal to the everyday player as well, that the courses at Sand Valley would be a “bucket list” experience for Wisconsin golfers as well as destination players. What everyone who plays Sand Valley will find is a layout with dramatic elevation changes and holes that will play fast, firm and fun. The Coore-Crenshaw design will not overpower with its length – from the back tees it stretches just 6,909 yards with a slope/rating of 72.6/128 – though vast

sandy wasteland areas will demand accuracy off the tee. Sand Valley has five sets of tees, with the forward set measuring just under 4,600 yards. Fourteen of the holes are what might be called natural, but Keiser has said the four shaped by Coore-Crenshaw are so similar as to mesh perfectly with the others. The signature site on the course, perhaps the highest spot on the property, became known as “the Volcano,” where holes one, nine, 10 and 18 come together. That spot is also now called Craig’s Porch, after Haltom, and the nearby first tee boasts expansive views of the golf course and the challenges that await. From the middle tees, the first hole is teasingly short at just under 300 yards. The second is a more daunting par 4 at 418 yards, and the par 5s on the front nine stretch more than 500 yards each. Yet on a preview round last year both played shorter than their advertised length because firm fairways offered abundant roll. The three par 3s on the front nine were simply fun, two of them calling for downhill shots to generous greens and the third, just 97 yards from the middle tees, straight up hill to an almost invisible green.

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Trappers Turn

Lake Arrowhead GC

Hotbed of Great Golf

Wisconsin’s Fertile Lands Offer Cornucopia of High-Caliber Courses Golfers who want their Sand Valley road trip to include more than just the resort’s courses won’t have to look far for more tantalizing tests of golf. Right next door is Lake Arrowhead GC, which boasts two popular and highly regarded 18-hole courses as part of a 3,000-acre multi-faceted recreational community. The Pines course opened in 1982, followed later by The Lakes, which true to its name challenges players with water hazards. Stay and play packages are available. www.lakearrowheadgolf.com.

SentryWorld

Less than an hour north is SentryWorld, which opened in 1982 as Wisconsin’s first destination golf course. Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. for the Sentry Insurance Company, the course was known for its superior design and for its signature “flower hole,” a short par 3 with a green surrounded by tens of

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thousands of bright flowers. In 2013 the course closed for 20 months while Jones Jr., in collaboration with architects Bruce Charlton and Jay Blasi, oversaw a complete renovation that included changes in layout, greens, grasses and bunkers — along and other improvements. www.sentryworld.com. Two courses worthy of any golfer’s time can be found about 45 miles south of Sand Valley in the Wisconsin Dells area. Wild Rock GC was designed by Wild Rock GC Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry, who were involved in the creation of U.S. Open venue Erin Hills, and built around an old stone quarry that contributes to the design’s rustic look. Trappers Turn GC, designed by two-time U.S. Open winner Andy North of Madison and noted architect Roger Packard, leans heavily on the same glacier-carved landscape that has made the area a tourist hotspot since the 1800s. Visit www.wildrock.com and www.trappersturn.com. Golfers have been quick to discover that Wisconsin’s only replica layout, The Castle Course at Northern Bay, brings the likes of Augusta National, Oakmont and Oakland Hills within 20 miles of Sand Valley in nearby Arkdale.

www.northernbayresort.com Those wishing to test a U.S. Open course could add a visit to Erin Hills, about two and a half hours from Sand Valley. Erin Hills has been closed since last fall in preparation for the 2017 Open but will be available again for public play on July 1 after the championship. The golf course, set in Wisconsin’s scenic Kettle Moraine region and prominently featuring Erin Hills seas of waving grasses and has been rated as high as eighth best public course in the country. Like Sand Valley, Erin Hills is walking only. www.erinhills.com. Four Pete Dye-designed destination courses can be found on the shore of Lake Michigan at Kohler, most notably the Straits Course at Whistling Straits and the River Course at Blackwolf Run. The Straits Course has hosted two

Whistling Straits

PGA Championships and in 2020 will be the site of the Ryder Cup competition. Kohler’s American Club is a five-star, five-diamond resort and spa. www.americanclubresort.com. Many golfers have figured out that an old favorite, The Links Course at the Golf Courses of Lawsonia in Green Lake, is almost exactly halfway between either of Wisconsin’s major championship courses. www.lawsonia.com.

The entire course was open for preview play by last fall, while Kidd’s Mammoth Dunes design was taking shape as well. Six holes on that layout were seeded last fall and the rest this spring, and sometime in 2017 the first holes of Kidd’s course will also be available for preview play by guests. Michael Keiser Jr., the owner’s son and project manager, said recently that Mammoth Dunes, which will officially open in 2018, will have a completely different feel from Sand Valley, just as the courses at Bandon Dunes have their own look and playing style. Kidd’s design takes on the largest dune on the property and includes holes that wind through an Oak Savannah. The resort is already a boon for Adams County, which has traditionally ranked among Wisconsin’s poorest counties, and officials have eagerly embraced Sand Valley for the jobs it will create and economic activity it will generate. Wisconsin Rapids, 13 miles to the north, has long been known for paper making — an industry in decline — and cranberry production, but the city’s convention and visitors bureau chose a photo of Sand Valley for the cover of its 2017 visitor guide. The Town of Rome, in which Sand Valley is located, created a special tax district to support construction of the second course and Mike Keiser Jr. has said by the time Mammoth Dunes opens the resort expects to be the largest employer in Adams County. (Mike Keiser’s other son, Christopher, is also involved in the golf operation now.) By mid-summer the resort expects to have as many as 300 employees. Many of those newly created jobs come from the resort’s caddie staff. The golf courses at Sand Valley will be walking only, so the resort began a caddie training program WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Erin Hills’ maintenance staff has spent the last 10 years creating a golden consistency to its familiar tall fescue grass off the fairways.

for juniors last year to introduce the duties and expectations of the job to area youths. The resort hopes that local caddies will not only be able to share their knowledge of the course with players from out of the region but also their knowledge of the area. While some caddies will be professionals who come from other private courses or resorts, many more will be juniors, Koll said. She added that by the end of the second year some junior caddies will be eligible for Evans Scholars scholarships. Caddie fees will range from $90 for a pro or honor caddie to $50 for a B caddie. It is expected that some golfers who play Sand Valley will stay in Wisconsin Rapids, just to the north, or in Wisconsin Dells, less than an hour to the south. But many will also stay at Sand Valley, where construction of lodging has been underway since last summer and continued this spring. Twelve Fairway Lodge units will be available for one to two guests, while cottages overlooking little Lake Leopold on the Sand Valley 20

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course feature four guest rooms with king beds and a common space in the middle. On a recent tour Koll said such units will appeal to groups who want evening socializing after golf during the day. Lodging will also be available in the clubhouse, including a Wisconsin Suite with king bed, soaking tub and generous space. Casual dining is already offered at Craig’s Porch and will be available in the clubhouse at the Mammoth Bar and Lounge as well. A more formal dining room will be added later. Guests also will find a fire pit on the Warbler Terrace, an outdoor gathering space with views of Mammoth Dunes’ first and 18th holes. Eventually guests will also be able to enjoy

ABOVE: The Glacial Lake Wisconsin created these massive sand dunes eons ago, waiting to be uncovered in dramatic fashion. BELOW LEFT: Sand Valley’s trappings are quintessential simple chic. a 20-hole short course that is being designed by Coore and Crenshaw, along with a generous practice area. Koll said some hiking trails already can be found on the property, and eventually Sand Valley may offer cross country skiing in winter, birding and other non-golf activities. Guests will also be able to paddle on or swim in the four-acre, manmade Lake Leopold. Given the retrenchment in golf, new course construction has been anything but a growth industry. And while there is ample room for more courses on the Sand Valley property, Keiser Jr. said the immediate focus is on making visitors’ experiences at the first course as enjoyable as possible. Still, he told Wisconsin Golfer magazine recently, they are already evaluating routings for a possible third course because “it’s hard not to dream about the future.” In the Wisconsin Rapids visitor guide he

expanded on the dream when asked what Sand Valley might look like in the future. “In 10 years Sand Valley could be a large village with hundreds of thousands of yearly visitors from around the world,” he said. “There will be thousands of acres of trails for non-golfers and we hope to have at least four golf courses, several restaurants and a variety of overnight accommodations for our guests to choose from.” Expect the golf world to keep watching. Green fees during the peak season of June 12 through Oct. 1 will be $150 for resort guests on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and $195 Thursday-Sunday. Fees for day guests will be $175 early in the week and $215 Thursday-Sunday. Lower fees will apply in early spring and late fall. Visit www.sandvallygolfresort.com for more information. WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Kenosha

GOLFTIME’S FEATURED COURSES Chicagoland

Waukegan

2 6

Arrowhead Golf Club

Wheaton

630-653-5800

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Libertyville Sports Complex

Libertyville

847-367-1506

www.LibertyvilleSportsComplex.com

pg 37

Mt. Prospect Golf Club

Mt. Prospect

847-632-9300

www.mtprospectgolf.com

pg 29

Prairie Bluff Public Golf Course

Crest Hill

815-836-4653

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pg 30

Skokie Sports Park

Skokie

847-674-1500

www.skokieparks.org

pg 31

Stonewall Orchard Golf Club

Grayslake

847-740-4890

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Weber Park Golf Course

Skokie

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White Pines Golf Club

Bensenville

630-766-0304

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pg 33

pg 28

Arlington Heights 90

Elgin

Mount Prospect 3 Schaumburg

5 Skokie 7

Evanston

Des Plaines

Oak Park

Chicago

Cicero

Aurora Oak Lawn

Let Us Lead You to Your Next Round

Hammond

Joliet

GolfTime Magazine is dedicated to people who realize the world’s greatest game is more than a pastime, people who 6 and value in the region they call home. appreciate the rich variety

Gary

www.golftimemag.com 30

Find us on /golftimemag or follow @GolfTimeMag18 on

41 WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

6 30 23

GOLFTIMEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FEATURED COURSES

Illinois 1 Crab Orchard Golf Club 2 The Links at Kokopelli 3 Pine Lakes Golf Club 4 Stardust Golf and Country Club

Carterville Marion Herrin Johnston City

618-985-2321 www.craborchardgolfclub.com 618-997-5656 www.KokopelliGolf.com 618-942-6816 www.PineLakes18.com 618-527-4122

Wisconsin 5 Beloit Club 6 The Bull at Pinhurst Farms 7 Erin Hills 8 Geneva National Golf Club 9 Lake Arrowhead Golf Course 10 Trappers Turn Golf Club 11 University Ridge Golf Course

Beloit Sheboygan Falls Erin Lake Geneva Nekoosa Wisconsin Dells Madison

608-364-9000 920-467-1500 866-772-4769 262-245-7000 715-325-2929 800-221-8876 608-845-7700

Michigan 12 Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club 13 Forest Dunes Golf Club 14 The Loop

pg 99 pg 99

131 94

www.beloitclub.com www.golfthebull.com www.erinhills.com www.genevanationalresort.com www.lakearrowheadgolf.com www.trappersturn.com universityridge.com

pg 2

IFC

pg 48 94

pg 1 pg 47 pg 7

131

pg 87

7 43

Arcadia Roscommon Roscommon

800-494-8666 www.arcadiabluffs.com 989-275-0700 www.forestdunes.com 989-275-0700 www.forestdunes.com

13 14

pg 8

131

Milwaukee

Madison

pg 52

94 90

pg 52

Grand Rapids

96 196

Lansing

90 131

69 90

196 90

Chicago

94 69 80

80 80

Kalamazoo

South Bend

55 74

Fort Wayne 65

57 74

Peoria 55

Bloomington 55

57 72

Champaign

69 74

Springfield

Decatur

Indianapolis

55 70

74 74

65 57

The Bull at Pinehurst Farms

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64 164

1 2 57

CHICAGOLAND FEATURED COURSES

Mt. Prospect Golf Club

GOLFTIME

Chicagoland Featured Course

Mt. Prospect Golf Club

Arrowhead Golf Club ARROWHEAD GOLF CLUB IN WHEATON, Illinois, is widely known and recognized for its beautifully maintained course, exceptional views, and professional and dedicated staff. Arrowhead is a public golf course offering impeccable golf TEE STATISTICS at affordable rates on three par-72, 18-hole layouts surrounded South/East Yards Par by forest preserve. Tees, greens and fairways are bentgrass and Red 4989 72 water comes into play on 17 holes. Practice on our lighted Gold 5542 72 White 6080 72 driving range, putting green, chipping green, and bunkers. Book Silver 6347 72 your next corporate or fundraising golf outing with us. Blue 6707 72 Arrowhead has become a favorite destination for golf outings, West/East Yards Par Red 4905 72 fundraisers, weddings, and corporate events. The facility includes Gold 5482 72 banquet and meeting rooms, a pro shop, halfway house, and White 6166 72 locker rooms. The Arrowhead Restaurant & Bar—open daily for Silver 6388 72 Blue 6643 72 lunch and dinner—features elegant dishes by Executive Chef Alan South/West Yards Par Pirhofer, hosts live music, and boasts 15 HDTV screens to catch Red 4939 72 your favorite sports. Don’t miss the a la carte breakfast menu Gold 5512 72 White 6084 72 Saturdays and Sundays during the golf season. Silver 6360 72 At Arrowhead, you can expect a country club feeling in a public Blue 6622 72 setting and great golf, food, drink, and events every time. We are Arrowhead, and we’re ready to serve you!

26W151 Butterfield Rd. Wheaton, IL 60189

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www.arrowheadgolfclub.org 28

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NEWLY RESTORED in a multi-million-dollar project by Esler Golf Design, Mt. Prospect will take you back to a style of architecture made famous by names like Raynor, MacDonald and Ross, with low square tee boxes, strategic cross bunkers and TEE STATISTICS challenging plateau greens, all in our quiet parkland setting. The Yards Par design features most of the original routing with five new holes Black 6350 70 and historic “template holes” with names like Redan, Eden and Silver 6005 70 Punchbowl. There is even a sloping Biarritz par 3. Gold 5345 70 The course will test every level of player without being your typical modern “waterpark” design. It is all about grass, sand and trees. Located in a historic neighborhood just minutes from O’Hare, Mt. Prospect is the closest thing to the conditions and feel of an old private club, with a daily fee rate. A new continuous cart path keeps carts out everyday and the new Club Car fleet features Visage connected “touchscreen GPS” on each cart. The newly added golf learning center includes a large bent grass tee, 300+ yard range, a large short game area and challenging practice greens. Home to state champion high school teams, Mt. Prospect has one of the oldest and most successful junior golf programs in Illinois. Adult group and private lessons are also available with our PGA professional staff. Our beautiful clubhouse grill room and patio look over the golf course and are the perfect place to relax with a drink or have one of our famous 1/2 pound “Mt. Prospect Burger.” What’s new is “old” again. Come play the Mt. Prospect Golf Club.

Come Back to a New 90 Year Old Classic 600 See Gwun Ave. Mt. Prospect, IL 60056

847-259-4200

www.golfmtprospect.com

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Chicagoland Featured Course

Prairie Bluff Public Golf Club OPENED IN JULY OF 1998 by Lockport Township Park District, Prairie Bluff Golf Club offers 18 holes of championship golf spread out over 237 acres of rolling terrain. Each of Prairie Bluffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s superbly manicured holes is framed by flowing TEE STATISTICS prairie grass which, along with 10 lakes, adds to both the courses Yards Par beauty and challenge. Golfers can warm up, or just practice, at Gold 7007 72 our 10-acre driving range, 10,000-square-foot putting green and Blue 6466 72 White (M) 6054 72 short game area complete with practice bunker. White (W) 6054 72 Golfers and non-golfers alike will enjoy Prairie Bluffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beauGreen 5326 72 tiful 12,000 square-foot clubhouse with a remodeled dining room, bar area and outdoor patio serving great food with outstanding service. New this year to the clubhouse is video gaming located in its own friendly, private room. Moreover, the remodeled pro shop offers patrons the latest in equipment and apparel. Prairie Bluff is a perfect location for your next golf outing, banquet, wedding or any event. With room to accommodate 200 guests, our impeccable service will leave a lasting impression on all. Come visit Prairie Bluff today!

Now outings of 80 golfers or more will receive a free foursome! 19433 Renwick Rd. Crest Hill, IL 60403

815-836-GOLF (4653) www.prairiebluffgc.com 30

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Chicagoland Featured Course

White Pines Golf Club & Banquets Convenient location, just minutes from O’Hare Open year round Host Site of the Illinois PGA Section Championship Host Site of the 2003, 2005, 2009 & 2015 U.S. Open Qualifier Host Site of the 2016 and 2017 Web.com Rust-Oleum Qualifier

Stonewall Orchard Golf Club

.36 holes of championship golf

.Customized golf outings

OPEN SINCE 1999, Stonewall Orchard has quickly earned its spot among Chicago’s top public golf course facilities and has been named one of the state’s top courses by Golf Digest for the past several years. Stonewall Orchard is the current home of the Illinois PGA’s Section Championship and hosted U.S. Open qualifying in 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2015. Designed by renowned architect Arthur Hills, Stonewall TEE STATISTICS Orchard is a true walk in nature and offers natural qualities often Yards Par associated with golf in the Carolinas. With more than 65,000 Silver 7124 72 mature pine and oak trees, the course features tranquil wetlands, Gold 6506 72 Gold/White 6202 72 plenty of wildlife and nary a hole that parallels another, offering White 6032 72 a very secluded experience. From the 4,968-yard junior short Turquoise 5375 72 course to the 7,124-yard, par-72 championship layout, each Junior 4968 72 hole provides its own identity and challenge to golfers of all skill levels. Offering the public a country club environment in a relaxed atmosphere, Stonewall Orchard is one golf course you’ll want to play time and time again.

.Banquet room for 50-250 with panoramic vistas .New outdoor pavilion tent accommodates 450 guests .Driving range practice facility

25675 W. Hwy. 60 Grayslake, IL 60030

847-740-4890

www.stonewallorchard.com 32

White Pines features

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.Professional golf instruction .37 Bar & Grill, patio dining

18 hole rates with cart as low as $12. Visit our website to book your next tee time and take advantage of our best available golf rates. whitepinesgolf.com facebook.com/likewhitepines 500 W. Jefferson, Bensenville, Illinois 630.766.0304 A facility of Bensenville Park District

Instructor’s Corner

A Little Help From Your Friends

Finding the right professional to help your game is the first step to improvement

ll golfers want to improve, but most don’t know how to improve efficiently. From a simple swing tune-up, to creating an advanced long-term plan that includes building a team of professionals around the student, true game improvement starts with strategy. Finding a teaching professional or team of professionals to help you establish a baseline of swing mechanics, analyze your physical strengths and weaknesses, and understand your preferred learning method is most important. Then you can focus on tailoring a practice/ training program fit for you and your game.

“Our golf swing technology includes: Trackman, Foresight, V1 Swing Analysis, BodiTrak, Swinguru, KVest, and Blast Motion,” explained Mike Mandakas, PGA professional and owner of the Elevation Sports Performance, one of the premier training facilities in the Midwest. “At our indoor and outdoor facilities, we collect the ball and club data from our swing technology while seeing what the body does during the swing using our motion technology; measuring weight and pressure distribution along with balance, flexibility, and timing.” Mandakas explained. “We train our players 34

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to increase club head speed while maintaining balance to make sure they maximize distance while staying in control.” Of course, Mandakas is also quick to point out that sometimes the problem isn’t you — it’s your clubs. (Whew.) “Most golfers are not playing with proper equipment,” he said. “We know if clubs are improper length, lie angle, or wrong shaft just by watching set up and the ball flight of a golfer. Proper fitting will give the player a more accurate result from their swing.” For that reason, Elevation Sports Performance uses technology and expertise to properly club fit the golfer. “Whether the golfer is a beginner or one of our tour players, all golfers can also benefit from a TPI Screening and Training to identify the body’s weaknesses and improve balance, flexibility, and power as well as training for injury prevention.” As much as the technical and physical parts of the golf game are important, the mental game is equally important. “At Elevation, we have a unique approach to training the mind,” said Gaston Cordova, co-owner and PGA mental coach at Elevation Golf. “We combine sports psychology with brain science. We not only teach our students ‘how to’ develop the mental skills of staying calm under pressure, maintaining focus and concentration, and boosting confidence with self-belief, but we take it one level further.” Please visit www.elevationus.com for more information.

PGA Instruction • TPI Fitness Training Custom Club Fitting • College Recruiting Mental Performance Coaching

Diamond Edge Academy • 7850 S. Quincy Street, Willowbrook, IL 60527 www.elevationus.com • 847.652.3293

Instructor’s Corner

Practice Range Guide

Chris Pytell PGA Professional

We are pleased and excited to add Class A PGA Professional Eric Pick to our teaching staff here at Mt. Prospect Golf Club. While working at The Golf Learning Center at Sea Island Club he was exposed to some of the top instructors in the industy, including Jack Lumpkin, Todd Anderson, Gale Person, and Mike Shannon. In 2008, Eric Pick Golf Academy was founded, improving the golf games of hundreds of students, including the 2012 IHSA Girl’s State Class A Champion. Continuing to regularly compete in Illinois Section events, Eric has played in 4 Illinois Opens and 9 consecutive Illinois PGA Championships.

Chris Pytell has conducted more than 10,000 individual and group lessons since 1994. He enjoys instructing men, women, and junior golfers of all ages and levels, having transformed many junior players into competitive collegiate golfers. Because he believes that the learning process accelerates when golf is taught at a simple level, his lessons concentrate on the fundamentals of the game. Chris still plays in 10–15 PGA tournaments annually, believing that by maintaining his competitive edge he will help his students achieve their full potential.

Mt. Prospect Golf Club

Skokie Sports Park

600 South See-Gwun Avenue, Mount Prospect, IL 60056

847-367-1506

www.skokieparks.org

www.ericpick.com

www.libertyvillesportscomplex.com www.libertyville.com/golf

Kent Instefjord PGA Instructor General Manager

Milt Kodl PGA Instructor Head Golf Professional

Travis Becker Director of Instruction WI PGA Instructor of the Year (2015) Mike Tabbert PGA Instructor Certified TPI Instructor

Katie Engler Apprentice Instructor

The Region’s Premier Club

AWARDED

MOST IMPROVED

GOLF COURSE

The only facility in Wisconsin to be awarded a partnership with the Golf Channel Academy offering instruction from PGA certified instructors.

Call for your preview round of golf

www.GolfChannelAcademy.com

608.473.0089

GOLF INC. MAGAZINE 2016

2327 S. Riverside Drive | Beloit, WI | 53511

15% off any price Range Card with this coupon 1850 N. Hwy 45, Libertyville, IL 60048

847-674-1500, ext. 3100

Limited number of National Memberships available info@thebeloitclub.com

The Driving Range at Mt. Prospect Golf Club

“Best Driving Range” in Chicago 6 years in a row, Daily Herald Readers’ Choice Award. • Open Daily, all 12 months • Weather protected Tee Stations • Grass Tees in Spring, Summer • Putting & Chipping Greens • Summer lessons for kids Join our E-CLUB for special offers & promotions.

Corner of Peterson Road & Route 45

3459 Oakton St., Skokie, IL 60076

(847)380-1280

The Driving Range at the Libertyville Sports Complex

Valid thru 9/30/17

Eric Pick PGA Professional

Mt. Prospect Golf Club now offers a state of the art golf learning center including a bentgrass tee driving range, target greens, short game area and two amazing practice putting greens which can be used as a putting course. Mt. Prospect has one of the oldest and most successful junior golf programs in Illinois. Adult group and private lessons are also available with our PGA professional staff.

Mt. Prospect Golf Club

600 South See-Gwun Avenue, Mount Prospect, IL 60056

(847)259-4200

www.golfmtprospect.com

ALL OUR FRIENDS

GET BENEFITS OUR FANS RECEIVE SPECIAL GOLF OFFERS AND UPDATES ON THE LATEST GOLF NEWS Just Click on the at www.golftimemag.com 37

WISCONSIN FEATURED COURSES

Whistling Straits

Until Next Time The U.S. Open at Erin Hills may be over, but love for the course likely earned it another date with destiny By Rob Hernandez Photography by Jim Kelsh

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Erin Hills was a wonderful host for fans of all ages and included a special tribute to Arnold Palmer on the 18th green flagstick. PREVIOUS SPREAD: More than 200,000 fans trekked to Erin Hills for the 117th U.S. Open Championship. ERIN, Wisconsin — Opinions of Erin Hills as a U.S. Open venue were bouncing all over the property in the hours, days and, now, weeks since champion Brooks Koepka packed up his legendary 3-wood, the U.S. Open trophy and $2.1 million paycheck and bid farewell to the Milwaukee area. Did the 11-year-old venue on land carved out by ancient glaciers play too easy? Too forgiving? Too soft? Too much like a regular stop on the PGA Tour? Too little like one that — for this major — is charged with making golfers shake in their shoes from the first tee shot Thursday morning through the final putt Sunday evening and celebrate the forgotten standard of even par? “I feel like the U.S. Open is supposed to be very uncomfortable,” Justin Thomas 42

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said Saturday of championship week, the day he set a new U.S. Open standard by going 9-under-par in one day and made the leaderboard at Erin Hills look very uncomfortable to those in the gallery on the lookout for “their father’s U.S. Open” on this Father’s Day weekend. “I think it’s kind of what the USGA and U.S. Open is known for is making you kind of hate yourself and hate golf and just really struggle out there. I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s different being like this, just being in a U.S. Open and seeing and hearing so many birdies, usually those roars are for pars and stuff.” But welcome to 2017. This year, those roars came early and often for birdies, eagles and those epic 379-yard 3-woods the likes of which Koepka launched on the 72nd tee WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

THE U.S. OPEN By the ‘Other’ Numbers

Want to host a U.S. Open? Plan on cooking up some hot dogs — more than 100,000 of them. That’s the number the United States Golf Association estimates were consumed at the 117th U.S. Open held at Erin Hills:

EQUIPMENT 470 golf carts 300-plus telephones 20-plus miles of fiber optic cable 47-plus miles of copper cable 6 GB of Internet 933 radios 540 televisions

INFRASTRUCTURE 10 miles of fencing 414,023 square feet of flooring, equivalent to almost 10 acres 60,000 square feet of stamped asphalt 17,000 grandstand seats 95 office trailers Enough electricity to power 5,000 homes 3,500 tons of HVAC — enough for 1,598 homes 368,440 square feet of canvas tents, enough to cover Lambeau Field six times

FOOD/BEVERAGE/MERCHANDISE 42,000 1⁄2-pound hamburgers 18,000 jumbo cookies 125,000 16-ounce souvenir beer/soda cups 365,000 12-ounce beers 75,000 sodas 50,000 bottles of water Main merchandise pavilion totals 38,940 square feet More than 500,000 pieces of merchandise More than 125,000 transactions

VOLUNTEERS 5,400 volunteers, representing 49 states and 16 countries — Compiled by the USGA

box of his march to becoming a first-time major championship winner on this firsttime major championship venue. The popular opinion after the round suggested Koepka had the tools to enjoy many more major championship moments. But the jury was hung on whether Erin Hills could say the same. “Yeah, I don’t know if it’s the U.S. Open like everybody wants or thinks of a U.S. Open. We’re at 14-under par,” said U.S. Presidents Cup captain Steve Stricker. “Does that mean anything?” If the USGA, working with the R&A, is reticent to reign in tracking capabilities of golf balls and the equipment that launches them, are they ambivalent toward a golfcourse set-up that — due in large part to frequent rain during championship week — kept it from playing its usual firm and fast and yielded record numbers on top of record numbers by the time the week was done. There were more sub-par scores for 72 holes (31) than any U.S. Open. The number of sub-par 18-hole scores (140) broke the record set in 1990 at Medinah CC No. 3 near Chicago, another year when the USGA slotted the championship in the upper Midwest during its rainy season. “I asked some of the players how they liked Erin Hills and for the most part everybody seemed to like it,” said Stricker, whose relentless bid to see the place under CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Holy Hill basilica provided a stunning backdrop. It was Erin Hills’ time to shine. A picturesque spot for a family picture. Keegan Bradley gets tangled up in fescue. Brooks Koepka celebrates the clinching putt. WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Wisconsin Featured Course

USGA/Michael Cohen

Lakes Course Hole 12

Brooks Koepka enjoys the ‘spoils’ of being the 117th U.S. Open winner. championship conditions for himself by winning the sectional qualifier in Memphis was the one storyline that took people’s minds off the crescendo of discussion over Erin Hills’ worthiness to host an event of this stature. U.S. Open assignments have been made through 2026 and, with the exception of Torrey Pines in 2021, all of them are exclusively “tried and true” venues that have hosted the Open on past visits. Mike Davis, the executive director and CEO of the USGA, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the week after the Open “we never come into one of these thinking it’s going to be a one-and-done” so Erin Hills and Wisconsin have that vote of confidence going for them. However, the golfers Stricker sampled called for “a few changes here and there.” Some suggested thinning the fescue. Others called for a narrowing of the fairways. Most praised the condition of the mostly 46

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elevated greens that hadn’t seen daily foot traffic since last October, but some questioned the wisdom of eliminating the rough around them to take advantage of the collection areas below that gathered approach shots that didn’t have quite the right number. “It’s tough when you come to a place for the first time and not really knowing how to set it up, how to play it,” the 50-year-old Stricker said Sunday before he got out of the way for the younger set for whom this 7,800yard layout was supposed to be plenty of golf course. “I thought it was great. We’re going to get some fireworks, I’m sure, down at the end, which will be fun to watch.” As it turns out, the fireworks might not be over. And those will be every bit as fun to watch, too. Visit www.erinhills.com and www.usga.org for more information.

Lake Arrowhead Golf Course LOCATED IN THE HEART OF CENTRAL WISCONSIN, Lake TEE STATISTICS Arrowhead boasts two of the Midwest’s elite 18-hole golf courses. Lakes Course Yards Par Defined by scenic beauty, friendly staff, and great golf, you have Black 7105 72 Blue 6585 72 the rare opportunity to enjoy not just one, but two premier White 6144 72 championship golf courses in one incredible experience. With Gold 5601 72 Sand Valley located one mile south of Lake Arrowhead, come and Red 5272 72 Pines Course Yards Par visit the Town of Rome and all that it has to offer. Blue 6624 72 Golfers may think they’re seeing a vision when visiting secluded White 6182 72 Lake Arrowhead, weaving through pine-studded forests and past Gold 5614 72 Red 5213 72 sparkling water features in the sandy barrens of central Wisconsin. Lake Arrowhead initially opened as a nine-hole course, in 1982, with a second nine added in 1985 to make up what is now known as the Pines course. In 1998, the Lakes course was added to make Lake Arrowhead a 36-hole golf destination. With lush fairways, large, undulating greens and sculpted bunkers Lake Arrowhead looks and feels a bit like famous Pinehurst in the sand-hill region of North Carolina. A perfect day at Lake Arrowhead would be 18 in the morning, lunch at one of the two clubhouses, a two-mile drive to the other course and 18 in the afternoon.

Located only one mile away, we are a proud neighbor of Sand Valley. 1195 Apache Lane Nekoosa, WI 54457 (town of Rome)

715-325-2929 Pines Course Hole 9

www.lakearrowheadgolf.com WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Come for the golf. Stay for the evening.

Rules of the Game

Immovable Objects & Irresistible Forces: The Golfer’s Guide By John Morrissett Situation 1: A player’s ball lies on the fringe of the green. There is sand on his line of play both off the putting green and on the putting green. Which one of the following is true? A: B: C:

The player may remove only the sand that is off the green. The player may remove only the sand that is on the green. The player may remove the sand that is on and off the green. Answer: b

Situation 2: A player’s ball lies in a lateral water hazard. A pine cone lies in the hazard behind his ball, a detached tree branch lies outside the hazard where he would like to stake his stance, and a red hazard stake interferes with his backswing. Which of those three objects may the player remove?

Site of the 2017 U.S. Open Championship®.

A: None B: The tree branch only. C: The tree branch and the hazard stake only. Answer: c

Walking only.

Situation 3: A player’s ball lies on the putting

Created by glaciers. Revealed through golf.

green. Which of the following types of damage on his line of putt may not he repair?

Cottages. Rooms. Suites. Prime Steaks. Fresh Fish. Old and New World Wines. Mac & Cheese.

A: A ball-mark made by another player. B: A hoof print from a deer. C: The turf plug from the previous day’s hole location. Answer: b

Situation 4: If a player’s ball lies in a water hazard, from which of the following is the player entitled to relief without penalty? Named 44th Greatest Course in the United States by Golf Digest.

866-772-4769

•

Erin, Wisconsin

•

www.erinhills.com

A: A part of a bridge outside the hazard and interferes with his backswing.

B: A puddle of casual water outside the hazard and interferes with his stance. C: A discarded soft drink can. Answer: c

Situation 5: In which one of the following is the player penalized in stroke play? A: B: C:

He and his marker sign his scorecard in the wrong places. His hole-by-hole scores are correct, but there is an error for the total. His marker did not sign the score card. Answer: c

Situation 6: In which one of the following is the player not penalized for moving his ball in play? A: B: C:

While searching for it in tall rough through the green. While searching for it buried in a sand dune through the green. While searching for it while covered by leaves in a bunker. Answer: b

Situation 7: In which of the following is the player disqualified? A: B: C:

He carries a non-conforming club but never uses it during the round. He makes a stroke with a club that is non-conforming during the round. He starts the round with 15 clubs and declares one out of play on the fourth hole as soon as he realizes his mistake. Answer: b

John Morrissett, Competitions Director at Erin Hills and former Director of Rules of Golf for the USGA, offers answers to the game’s great rules mysteries. WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Forest Dunes

MICHIGAN FEATURED COURSES

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To Infinity &

BEYOND With the addition of the Tom Doak-designed wonder called The Loop, Forest Dunes Golf Club finds a limitless future ahead By Don Shell

ROSCOMMON, Michigan — It is an absolutely postcard-perfect spring day in early June, and the bright sunshine beating down on us is eclipsed only by Lew Thompson’s exceptionally sunny disposition. The Arkansas native and trucking magnate-turned golf resort owner/developer has plenty of reasons for his semi-truck-sized smile these days. Not the least of which is The Loop, the 6,900-plus yards of entrancing emerald-green fairways that officially opened at Thompson’s already-fantastic Forest Dunes this summer. Thompson, a towering man with a crazylike-a-fox, larger-than-life persona, bought the resort back in 2011, bringing it back from the brink of bankruptcy and obsolescence. And he knows The Loop is ready to 54

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take the resort to the next level — into the forefront of the international golf scene. “When I bought the property five years ago, I was in Traverse City and there were golfers everywhere,” Thompson said, in between swigs of sweet tea and drags of his cigarette. “I said to them, ‘What do you think about Forest Dunes?’ They said, ‘What’s Forest Dunes?’ That really surprised me, how many people didn’t know about it,

PREVIOUS SPREAD: The heart of The Loop is a signature “Amen” corner of the Red’s Nos. 5 and 6 and the Black’s Nos. 7 and 12 greens. ABOVE: There are 73 bunkers, but it’s the tiered, sloping greens that give The Loop its bite. BELOW LEFT: The original Tom Weiskopf-designed Forest Dunes course is also one of the very best in the country. in Michigan. That was the biggest surprise to me, how unknown it was within the golf world, even with the accolades that it’s had. (Including National Golf Course of the Year in 2016.) “Today, that’s probably 50 percent better than it was, but it’s still not where it should be. Today it’s a whole lot better than it was five years ago, but it’s still not what I would like it to be. “The Loop is going to change everything.”

A Dynamic Duo Designed by Doak and his Renaissance Golf

Design team from nearby Traverse City, The Loop has garnered a truckload of awards and acclaim since it soft-opened last summer, including Best New Public Course by Golf Digest in 2016. It’s been heralded for its authentic Scottish links look and feel, yes, but also for its inherent ingenuity: The Loop, you see, is actually two courses in one. That’s right, Doak gave Thompson the deal of the century, designing a dynamite doubleheader — the Black Course and the Red Course — on the exact same footprint, two halves of the same holes. It was an idea WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

LEFT: The sensational, par-4 fourth hole on the Red, and 15th on the Black. ABOVE: Doak has been working on this routing in his head for 30 years, waiting for the right time — and place — to let it out. Doak carried around in the back nine of his mind for more than 30 years, waiting for the right time, the right land, the right owner. He found all that and more, hidden away in the sandy pines at Forest Dunes. “(Doak) said, ‘What if we build two golf courses?’” Thompson recalled of an early meeting, when the architect unveiled routings for two different courses. “And I said, ‘Oh sh-t, Tom, let’s just build one and see how it goes before we build two.’ He said, ‘What if I build you two for the price of one? Are you familiar with how golf got started at St Andrews? One day you’d play it this way, and the next day you’d play it that way.’ And he get back up, gets the other map, unrolls it next to the other one, and says, ‘These are the same golf course. I can build you two for the price of one, and you will have, to my knowledge, the only 18-hole, 18-green, reversible golf course in the world. I have spent 30 years on this, on drawing this out, 56

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and all I needed was the right piece of property to do it. There are very few places that this could be done, and it can be done here.’”

Great for the Right Reasons Of course, not only could it be done, Doak no doubt did it. But the most surprising thing about The Loop is that what makes it great isn’t a gimmick at all. It’s truly two distinctly terrific tracks, laid atop one another in a brilliant fashion that will no doubt inspire many courses to follow. The Loop might be the first truly “reversible” 18-hole golf course in the world, but it most certainly won’t be the last, at least not now. We started with the Red Course, all 6,806 yards of it, played counter-clockwise as the crow flies, the Yin to the Black Course’s clockwise Yang. Determined to spot obvious signs of its twin along the way, I stepped to the first tee, a rolling, 375-yard par 4 with an almost can’t-miss fairway. Like many of the WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

DON’T BE A DODO

Getting to Know the Kirtland’s Warbler

As the sun sets after a great day on The Loop, stay in one of the Lake AuSable Lodge’s 14 guest rooms to earn another chance the next day — the opposite way. holes here, you’ll have to work hard to find too much trouble off the tee (there’s 95 acres of fairway here, folks — and not a water hazard in sight). The Forest Dunes staff will tell you they prefer the comparatively gentler start and smooth finish of the Red, whereas the Black packs a bit more punch out of the gate and down the stretch. Right away, it’s obvious The Loop is unlike any other course in the Midwest, but not because it’s a “twofer.” It’s unique in that it might just be the most realistic Scottish links-style course on this side of the pond. Sound lofty? A few holes in on The Loop’s rock-hard fescue fairways, full of dips and bends and natural contours, a few shots you’ve flown to the hole only to find your ball 40 yards past, a few strokes you’ve putted from 20 yards off the green, and you’ll believe it: This is true links golf, and it’s an absolute riot to play. It is also very much the quintessential Doak design — minimalist, 58

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naturalist bunkering and fairways, followed by intricate, nuanced and sometimes stupefying greens complexes. The highlights of the Red, which like the Black plays a par 70, are the opening par 4, the par-3, 187-yard fourth (the first of five excellent par 3s), before you come to the short-but-sweet sixth, all 125 yards of it, playing up and over a natural bowl of native grasses. The sixth is part of what is considered the signature section of the course, also serving as the green for the Black’s fantastic 381-yard, par-4 12th hole — probably The Loop’s best duo. But it’s that ingenious routing that makes The Loop work so well. You’re not playing the same holes backward: you’re playing two completely different holes from day to day. On the Red’s back nine you’ll find the longest par 3, the 222-yard 11th, complete with a natural backstop, and the fun, driveable par-4 12th, at just 312 yards from the tips.

The Red’s finishing stretch leaves you hungry for more, with the 468-yard, straight-shot par-4 16th, which begs you to bring the big lumber, followed by the 184yard, par-3 17th, and the awesome 18th, a monstrous, 474-yard par 4 that dips into a valley and back out and uphill to a massive green.

As rare as a great golf property like Forest Dunes may be, it’s got nothing on the rarity of the Kirtland’s Warbler, a species of bird found only in a small area near Roscommon. The little bird has made a big impact on the area, which now has a Warbler Fest, and tourism brings all sorts of rules and regulations about the bird’s habitat (you can’t even own a housecat at Forest Dunes!). The bluish-gray songbird has a yellow breast with black streaks across its back, and only nests in small stands of young Jack Pines. The little bird’s made a big comeback recently, too. A decade ago, there were less than 1,000 warblers, but their numbers top 2,500 today. For more information please visit: www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/birds/ Kirtland/index.html

Back for the Black After a great dinner in Forest Dunes’ dining room and a restful night in one of resort’s 14 comfortably appointed guest rooms, an early tee time on the 6,709 yards of the Black course awaited. The opener began where our previous round ended, this time playing 469 yards to the other end, across the valley to the uphill fairway and green beyond. It’s a rough way to start the day, and the precision needed at the 179-yard, par 3 second doesn’t make things easer! The front nine’s highlights include the awesome 348-yard, par-4 fourth, with a beautifully bunkered green complex found WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

PLAY WHERE THE BEST GOLFERS IN THE WORLD PLAY!

1. Arrowwood Resort

www.arrowwoodresort.com

2. Black Bear Golf Course www.golfatthebear.com

3. Braemar Golf Course www.braemargolf.com

4. Breezy Point Resort

Golf in Minnesota a Great Story

www.breezypointresort.com

5. Chaska Town Course

www.chaskatowncourse.com

The land of 10,000 water holes invites you to test your game at some of the most beautiful and challenging courses in the world — enjoy Minnesota golf.

6. Cragun’s Resort www.craguns.com

7. Destination Bloomington www.bloomingtonmn.org

8. Edinburgh U.S.A.

www.edinburghusa.org

9. Geneva Golf Club

www.genevagolfclub.com

Play the

BEST of the BEST 12

The Loop may be a Doak design, but owner Lew Thompson asked him to create less severe greens than has become the architect’s signature. between two mounds, and the excellent 146yard eighth. The back nine features the phenomenal par-4 12th, which plays down through a valley to a well-guarded green around the bend. The Black’s finishing stretch is as tough as advertised, with the long par-4 16th playing to a biarritz green, a tempting-but-tricky reachable par 5 at 17, and an uphill battle awaiting you at 18, all 362 yards of it. After the round, you’ll debate which of the two courses you like best. “If you stand out here and ask people, what’s your favorite course? Seventy-five percent of them will say whatever course they played the second day,” Thompson said. “They understand it a little better, they feel more comfortable, they shoot a little better.” And while opinions may vary (I would prefer to pick my favorite holes on each course), one thing everyone will agree on: It’s a remarkable achievement, to build two distinct courses on a single landscape. It’s also a course — more than most — that 60

WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Visit www.forestdunesgolf.com for more information.

19 94

21 17

5 20 18

15 8 94

3 24 13 27

11 Duluth 16 4 2

Brainerd

Quality Alexandria 22 St. Cloud Variety Twin Cities Twin Cities Price-Point Value 23

21 17

Rochester

www.giantsridge.com

11. Golden Eagle Golf Club www.golfgoldeneagle.com

12. Grand View Lodge

www.grandviewlodge.com

13. Legends Club

www.legendsgc.com

14. Madden’s on Gull Lake www.maddens.com

9 St. Cloud

1 Alexandria

Brainerd

needs to be experienced to be truly appreciated. “I asked Tom when he started building it, ‘How good is this going to be, as a golf 15 8 course?’” Thompson recalled. “I knew it19was going to be neat because it’s reversible.5 He3 7 said, ‘Lew, let me tell you something.20No 24 13 18 27 architect can tell you by plans how good something is going to be before it’s built. If they do, they’re not being upfront with you.’ After it was all done, me and Tom go and play it, and he’s walking ahead of me, and I said, ‘Tom, OK, it’s done. It’s been two and half years in suspense, now what’ve we got?’ And looked at me and said, ‘Lew, it’s good,’ and just kept walking. We get almost to the bottom of the hill and he turned around and said, ‘Lew, it’s really, really good.’ “I don’t think my feet touched the ground for about 10 holes.” We know exactly how you feel.

10. Giants Ridge Golf & Ski Resort

15. Minneapolis NW CVB

www.minneapolisnorthwest.com

16. Minnesota National Golf Course www.mnnational.com

17. Prestwick Golf Club 23

www.prestwick.com

18. Ridges at Sand Creek

Rochester

www.ridgesatsandcreek.com

19. Rush Creek Golf Club www.rushcreek.com

20. Stonebrooke Golf Club www.stonebrooke.com

YOUR MINNESOTA GOLF

21. StoneRidge Golf Club

“BUCKET LIST”

www.stoneridgegc.com

22. Territory Golf Club www.territorygc.com

HOME OF THE 2016 RYDER CUP

23. The Jewel Golf Club www.jewelgolfclub.com

24. The Wilds Golf Club www.golfthewilds.com

25. Thumper Pond Resort www.thumperpond .com

26. Wilderness at Fortune Bay www.golfthewilderness.com

27. Willingers Golf Club www.willingersgc.com

ExploreMinnesotaGolf.com

MIDWEST SELECT COURSES Black Hawk Run Golf Club (P)

Bucks Run Golf Club (P)

Coyote Crossing Golf Course (P)

Ackerman Hills (P)

Black Sheep Golf Club (PV)

Buena Vista Golf Course (P)

Coyote Run Golf Course (P)

Fontana, WI, 262-275-6111, www.abbeysprings.com West Lafayette, IN, 765-494-3139, www.purduegolf.com

A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort (R)

Kewadin, MI, 800-678-0122, www.a-ga-ming.com

Aldeen Golf Club (P)

Rockford, 815-282-4653, www.aldeengolfclub.com

Anetsburger Golf Course (P)

Northbrook, 847-291-2971, www.anetsbergergolf.com

Angels Crossing Golf Club (P)

Vicksburg, MI, 269-649-2700, www.golfangelscrossing.com

Annbriar Golf Course (P)

Waterloo, 888-939-5191, www.annbriar.com

Antioch Golf Club (P)

Antioch, 847-395-3004, www.antiochgolfclub.com

Apple Canyon Lake Golf Course (P)

Apple River, 815-492-2477, www.applecanyonlake.org

Stockton, 815-947-3011, www.blackhawkrun.com Sugar Grove, 630-879-2000, www.blacksheepgolfclub.com

Blackberry Oaks Golf Course (P)

Bristol, 630-553-7170, www.blackberryoaks.com

Blackberry Patch Golf Club (P)

Coldwater, MI, 517-238-8686, www.blackberrypatchgolf.com

Blackstone Golf Club (P)

Marengo, 815-923-1800, www.blackstonegc.com

Blackthorn Golf Club

South Bend, IN, 574-232-4653, www.blackthorngolf.com

Bliss Creek Golf Course (P)

Sugar Grove, 630-466-4177, www.blisscreekgolf.com

Bloomingdale Golf Club (P)

Bloomingdale, 630-529-6232, www.bloomingdalegc.com

BlueTop Ridge at Riverside (P)

Bartlett, 630-540-4807, www.bartlettparks.org/facilities/golf

Riverside, IA, 877-677-3456, www.riversidecasinoandresort.com Bob-O-Link Golf Club (PV) Highland Park, 847-432-0917, www.bobolinkgolfcourse.com

Buffalo Grove, 847-913-1112, www.arboretumgolf.com

Saukville, WI, 262-284-7075, www.golfthebog.com

Apple Orchard Golf Course (P) The Arboretum Club (P)

Arlington Lakes Golf Club (P)

Arlington Heights, 847-577-3030, www.ahpd.org/algc

Arrowhead Golf Club (P)

Wheaton, 630-653-5800, www.arrowheadgolfclub.org

Aspen Ridge Golf Course (P)

Bourbonnais, 815-939-1742, www.aspenridgegolf.com

Atwood Homestead Golf Course (P)

Rockford, 815-623-2411, www.wcfpd.org/golf

Aurora Country Club (PV)

Aurora, 630-892-3785, www.auroracc.com

Balmoral Woods Country Club (P)

Crete, 708-672-7448, www.balmoralwoods.com

Barrington Hills Country Club (PV)

Barrington, 847-381-4200, www.barringtonhillscc.com

Barrington Park District (P)

Barrington, 847-381-0687, www.barringtonparkdistrict.org

Barker Lake Golf Course Legend (P)

Winter, WI, 715-266-4152, www.haywardlakes.com/barkerlake

Bartlett Hills Golf Club (P)

Bartlett, 630-837-2741, www.bartletthills.com

Battle Ground Golf Club (P)

Battle Ground, IN, 765-567-2178, www.golfbattleground.com

Bay Harbor Golf Club (P)

Bay Harbor, MI, 866-548-7427, www.boynegolf.com

Bear Slide Golf Club (P)

Cicero, IN, 317-984-3837, www.bearslide.com

Bedford Valley Golf Course (R)

Battle Creek, MI, 269-965-3385, www.gulllakeview.com

Beeches Golf Club (P)

South Haven, MI, 269-637-2600, www.beechesgolfclub.com

Berrien Hills Golf Club (P)

Benton Harbor, MI, 269-925-9002, www.berrienhills.com

Beverly Country Club (PV)

Chicago, 708-636-8700, www.beverlycc.org

Big Fish Golf Club (P)

Hayward, WI , 715-934-4770, www.bigfishgolf.com

Big Run Golf Club (P)

Lockport, 815-838-1057, www.bigrungolf.com

Billy Caldwell Golf Course (P)

Chicago, 773-792-1930, www.forestpreservegolf.com

Biltmore Country Club (PV)

Barrington, 847-381-1960, www.biltmore-cc.com

Binder Park Golf Course (P)

Battle Creek, MI, 269-979-8250, www.binderparkgolf.com

Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex (P)

West Lafayette, IN, 765-494-3139, www.purduegolf.com

Bittersweet Golf Club (P)

Gurnee, 847-855-9031, www.bittersweetgolf.com

Black Forest at Wilderness Valley (R)

Gaylord, MI, 866-585-7090, www.blackforestgolf.com

MIDWEST SELECT COURSES

Abbey Springs Golf Course (R)

WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

The Bog (P)

Bolingbrook Golf Club (P)

Bolingbrook, 630-771-9400, www.bolingbrookgolfclub.com

Bon Vivant (P)

Bourbonnais, 815-935-0400, www.bonvivant.com

Bonnie Brook Golf Course (P)

Waukegan, 847-360-4730, www.waukegangolf.org

Bonnie Dundee Golf Club (P)

Carpentersville, 847-426-5511, www.bonniedundeegc.com

Boone Creek Golf Club (P)

McHenry, 815-455-6900, www.boonecreekgolf.com

Boughton Ridge Golf Course (P)

Bolingbrook, 630-739-4100, www.bolingbrookparks.org

Boulder Ridge Country Club (PV)

Lake In The Hills, 847-854-3010, www.boulderridge.com

The Bourne Golf Course (P) Marseilles, 815-496-2301

Bowes Creek Country Club (P)

Elgin, 847-214-5880, www.bowescreekcc.com

Boyne Highlands Resort (P)

Harbor Springs, MI, 866-548-7427, www.boynegolf.com

Boyne Mountain Resort (P)

Boyne City, MI, 866-548-7427, www.boynegolf.com

Brae Loch Golf Course (P)

Grayslake, 847-968-3444, www.lcfpd.org/brae_loch

Braidwood Fairways (P) Braidwood, 815-458-2965

The Brassie (P)

Chesterton, IN, 219-921-1192, www.thebrassie.com

Briar Leaf Golf Club (PV)

LaPorte, IN, 219-326-1992, www.briarleaf.com

Briar Ridge Country Club (PV)

Schererville, IN, 219-322-3660, www.briarridgecc.com

Briarwood Country Club (PV)

Deerfield, 847-945-2660, www.briarwoodcc.com

Brickyard Crossing (P)

Indianapolis, IN, 317-492-6572, www.brickyardcrossing.com

Bridges Golf Course (P)

Madison, WI, 608-244-1822, www.golfthebridges.com

Bridges of Poplar Creek Country Club (P)

Hoffman Estates, 847-781-3681, www.bridgesofpoplarcreek.com

Bristol Oaks Country Club (P)

Bristol, WI , 262-857-2302, www.bristoloaks.com

Broken Arrow Golf Club (P)

Lockport, 815-836-8858, www.golfbrokenarrow.com

Brown Deer Park Golf Course (P)

Milwaukee, WI, 414-352-8080, www.browndeergolfclub.org

Bryn Mawr Country Club (PV)

Lincolnwood, 847-676-2660, www.brynmawrcountryclub.com

Buck’s Barn Golf Resort (P)

Thomson, 815-259-8278, www.bucksbarngolfresort.com

Mt. Pleasant, MI, 989-773-6830, www.bucksrun.com DeKalb, 815-758-4812, www.buenavistagc.com

Buffalo Grove Golf Club (P)

Buffalo Grove, 847-537-5819, www.buffalogrovegolf.com

The Bull at Pinehurst Farms (P)

Sheboygan Falls, WI , 920-467-1500, www.golfthebull.com

Bull Valley Golf Club (PV)

Woodstock, 815-337-4411, www.bullvalleygolfclub.com

Burnham Woods Golf Course (P)

Burnham, 708-862-9043, www.forestpreservegolf.com

Butler National Golf Club (PV)

Oak Brook, 630-990-3333, www.butlernational.org

Butterfield Country Club (PV)

Oak Brook, 630-323-1000, www.butterfieldcc.org

Calumet Country Club (PV)

Homewood, 708-799-2230, www.calumetcc.com

Cantigny Golf (P)

Wheaton, 630-668-8463, www.cantignygolf.com

Cantigny Youth Links (P)

Wheaton, 630-668-8270, www.cantignygolf.com/youthlinks

Cardinal Creek Golf Course (P)

Beecher, 708-946-2800, www.cardinalcreekgolf.com

Carriage Greens Country Club (P)

Darien, 630-985-3730, www.carriagegreens.com

Cary Country Club (P)

Cary, 847-639-3161, www.carycountryclub.com

The Castle Course at Northern Bay (R)

Arkdale, WI, 608-339-9891, www.www.castleatthebay.com

Cedardell Golf Club (P) Plano, 630-552-3242

Centennial Park Golf Course (P)

Munster, IN, 219-836-6931, www.munster.org

Chalet Hills Golf Club (P)

Cary, 847-639-0666, www.chaletgolf.com

Chapel Hill Country Club (P)

McHenry, 815-385-3337, www.chapelhillgolf.com

Chesapeake Run Golf Club (P)

North Judson, IN, 574-896-2424, www.chesapeakerungolf.com

Chicago Golf Club (PV) Wheaton, 630-665-2988

Chicago Highlands (PV)

Westchester, 630-214-9490, www.chicagohighlands.com

Chicago Hts Park District Golf Course East (P) Chicago Hts, 708-754-3673, www.chparkdistrict.net

Chicago Hts Park District Golf Course West (P) Chicago Hts, 708-754-1400, www.chparkdistrict.net

Chick Evans Golf Course (P)

Morton Grove, 847-965-5353, www.forestpreservegolf.com

The Chief Golf Course (P)

Bellaire, MI, 231-533-9000, www.golfthechief.com

Christmas Mountain Village (R)

Wisconsin Dells, WI , 608-254-3971, christmasmountainvillage.com

Cinder Ridge Golf Course (P)

Wilmington, 815-476-4000, www.cinderridge.com

Coachman’s Golf Resort (R)

Edgerton, WI, 608-884-8484, www.coachmans.com

Cog Hill Golf & Country Club (P)

Lemont, 630-257-5872, www.coghillgolf.com

Columbus Park Golf Course (P)

Chicago, 312-746-5573, www.cpdgolf.com/courses/columbus-park

Conway Farms Golf Club (PV)

Lake Forest, 847-234-6979, www.conwayfarmsgolfclub.org

Country Lakes Country Club (P)

Naperville, 630-420-1060, www.countrylakescountryclub.com

Countryside Golf Course (P)

Mundelein, 847-968-3466, www.lcfpd.org/countryside

The Course at Aberdeen (P)

Valparaiso, IN , 219-462-5050, www.golfataberdeen.com

Coyote Creek Golf Club (P)

Bartonville, 309-633-0911, www.golfcoyotecreek.com

West Lafayette, IN, 765-497-1061, www.coyotecrossinggolf.com Flossmoor, 708-957-8700, www.coyoterungolf.com

Crab Orchard Golf Club (P)

Carterville, 618-985-2321, www.craborchardgolfclub.com

Craig Woods Golf Course (P)

Woodstock, 815-337-3116, www.crystalwoodsgc.com

Crane’s Landing Golf Club (R)

Lincolnshire, 847-634-5935, www.craneslandinggolf.com

Cress Creek Country Club (PV)

Naperville, 630-355-7300, www.cresscreekcc.com

Crestview Golf Course (P)

Kalamazoo, MI, 269-349-1111, www.crestviewgolfcourse.com

The Crown Golf Club (P)

Traverse City, MI, 231-946-2975, www.golfthecrown.com

Crystal Highlands Golf Facility (P) Lake In The Hills, 847-659-1766

Crystal Lake Country Club (PV)

Crystal Lake, 815-459-1237, www.clcountryclub.com

Crystal Tree Golf & Country Club (PV)

Orland Park, 708-403-3000, www.crystaltreecc.org

Crystal Woods Golf Club (P)

Woodstock, 815-338-3111, www.crystalwoodsgc.com

Dayton Ridge Golf Club (P) Ottawa, 815-434-0145

Deer Creek Golf Club (P)

University Park, 708-672-6667, www.deercreekgolfcourse.com

Deer Valley Country Club (P) Deer Grove, 815-438-4653

Deer Valley Golf Course (P) Big Rock, 630-556-3333

TPC Deere Run (SP)

Silvis, 309-796-6000, www.tpc.com/deererun

Deerfield Golf Club (P)

Riverwoods, 847-945-8333, www.deerfieldgolf.org

Deerpath Golf Course (P)

Lake Forest, 847-615-4290, www.deerpathgolfcourse.com

The Den at Fox Creek (P)

Bloomington, 309-434-2300, www.thedengc.com

Devil’s Head Resort (R)

Merrimac, WI, 800-472-6670, www.devilsheadresort.com

Discover Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo, MI, 800-888-0509, www.discoverkalamazoo.com/golf

Douglas Park Learning Course & Mini Golf (P) Chicago, 312-747-7670, www.cpdgolf.com

Downers Grove Golf Course (P)

Downers Grove, 630-963-1306, www.dgparks.org

Dunes Club (PV)

New Buffalo, MI, 269-469-5539

Eagle Brook Country Club (PV)

Geneva, 630-208-4653, www.eaglebrookclub.com

Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa (R)

Galena, 800-892-2269, www.eagleridge.com

Eaglewood Resort & Spa (R)

Itasca, 877-285-6150, www.eaglewoodresort.com

Eastern Hills Golf Course (P)

Kalamazoo, MI, 369-385-8175, www.kalamazoogolf.org

Edgebrook Country Club (SP)

Sandwich, 815-786-3058, www.forestpreservegolf.com

Edgebrook Golf Course (P)

Chicago, 773-763-8320, www.forestpreservegolf.com

Edgewood Valley Country Club (PV)

La Grange, 708-246-2800, www.edgewoodvalleycc.com

Elgin Country Club (PV)

Elgin, 847-741-2707, www.elgincc.com

Elmbrook Golf Course (P)

Traverse City, MI, 231-946-9180, www.elmbrookgolf.com

Erin Hills (P)

Erin, WI, 262-670-8600, www.erinhills.com

Evanston Golf Club (PV)

Skokie, 847-676-0300, www.evanstongolfclub.org

WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

MIDWEST SELECT COURSES Golf Club of Coldwater (P)

High Point Golf Club (P)

Lacoma Golf Club (P)

Evergreen Park Country Club (P)

The Golf Club at Harbor Shores (R)

Highland Park Country Club (P)

Lafayette Golf Course (P)

Elkhorn, WI, 262-723-5722, www.evergreengolf.com Evergreen Park, 773-238-6680

Exmoor Country Club (PV)

Highland Park, 847-432-3600, www.exmoorcountryclub.org

Family Golf Center Illinois (P) Chicago, 312-616-1234

Flagg Creek Golf Course (P)

Countryside, 708-246-3336, www.flaggcreekgolfcourse.org

Flossmoor Country Club (PV)

Flossmoor, 708-798-4700, www.flossmoorcc.org

The Fort Golf Resort (R)

Indianapolis, IN, 317-543-9597, www.thefortgolfcourse.com

Foss Park Golf Course (P)

North Chicago, 847-689-7490, www.fossparkgolf.org

Coldwater, MI, 517-279-2100, www.golfclubofcoldwater.com Benton Harbor, MI, 269-927-4653, www.harborshoreslife.com

The Golf Club of Illinois (P)

Algonquin, 847-658-4400, www.golfclubofil.com

The Golf Courses of Lawsonia (P)

Green Lake, WI , 800-529-4453, www.lawsonia.com

Golf Nation (PV)

Palatine, 847-202-4653, www.golfnation.us

Golf Vista Estates Golf Course (P) Monee, 708-534-8204

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa (R)

Lake Geneva, WI, 800-558-3417, www.grandgeneva.com

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa (R)

Acme, MI, 800-236-1577, www.grandtraverseresort.com

Fountain Hills Golf Club (P)

Grayslake Park Golf Course (P)

Four Winds Golf Club (P)

Graystone Golf Links (P)

Alsip, 708-388-4653, www.fountainhillsgc.com Mundelein, 847-566-8502

Fox Bend Golf Course (P)

Oswego, 630-554-3939, www.foxbendgolfcourse.com

Fox Lake Country Club (P)

Fox Lake, 847-587-6411, www.foxlakecc.net

Fox Run Golf Links (P)

Elk Grove Village, 847-228-3544, www.foxrungolflinks.com

Fox Valley Golf Club (P)

North Aurora, 630-879-1030, www.aurora-il.org

Foxford Hills Golf Club (P)

Cary, 847-639-0400, www.foxfordhillsgolfclub.com

Frankfort Square Park District Golf Course (P)

Frankfort, 815-469-1600, www.fspd.org/Square-Links-Golf-Course.asp

French Lick Resort (R)

French Lick, IN, 888-936-9360, www.frenchlick.com

Fresh Meadow Golf Club (P)

Hillside, 708-449-3434, www.freshmeadowgc.com

Fyre Lake National Golf Club (P)

Sherrard, 800-575-1394, www.fyrelakenational.com

Galena Golf Club (P)

Galena, 815-777-3599, www.galenagolf.webs.com

Gaylord Golf Mecca (P)

Gaylord, MI, 800-345-8621, www.gaylordgolfmecca.com

Geneva Golf Club (PV)

Geneva, 630-232-2055, www.genevagc.com

Geneva National Resort (R)

Lake Geneva, WI , 262-245-7000, www.genevanationalresort.com

George W. Dunne National Golf Course (P)

Oak Forest, 708-429-6886, www.forestpreservegolf.com/courses

The Glen Club (SP)

Glenview, 847-724-7272, www.theglenclub.com

Glen Flora Country Club (PV)

Waukegan, 847-244-6300, www.glenfloracc.com

Glen Oak Country Club (PV)

Glen Ellyn, 630-469-5600, www.glenoakcountryclub.org

Glen View Club (PV)

Golf, 847-729-6500, www.glenviewclub.com

Glencoe Golf Club (P)

Glencoe, 847-835-0250, www.glencoegolfclub.com

Glendale Lakes Golf Club (P)

Glendale Heights, 630-260-0018, www.glendalelakes.com

Glendarin Hills Golf Club (P)

Angola, IN, 260-624-3550, www.glendarinhills.com

Gleneagles Country Club (P)

Lemont, 630-257-5466, www.golfgleneagles.com

Glenview National 9 GC (P)

Glenview, 847-657-1637, www.golfglenview.com

Glenview Park Golf Club (P)

Glenview, 847-724-0250, www.golfglenview.com

Glenwoodie Golf Club (P)

Glenwood, 708-758-1212, www.glenwoodiegolf.com

Golf Center Des Plaines (P)

Des Plaines, 847-803-4653, www.dpparks.org/golfcenter/

MIDWEST SELECT COURSES

Evergreen Golf Club (P)

WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Grayslake, 847-548-4713, www.glpd.com Tinley Park, 708-720-6600

Great River Road Golf Club (P)

Nauvoo, 800-233-0060, www.golfnauvoo.com

Green Acres Country Club (PV)

Northbrook, 847-291-2200, www.greenacrescountryclub.com

Green Garden Country Club (P)

Frankfort, 815-469-3350, www.greengardencc.com

Green Meadows Golf Course (P)

Westmont, 630-810-5330, www.dupagegolf.com

Greenshire Golf Course (P)

Waukegan, 847-360-4777, www.waukegangolf.org

Greywalls (P)

Marquette, MI, 906-225-0721, www.marquettegolfclub.com

Griffith Golf Center (P) Griffith, IN, 219-923-3223

The Grove (PV)

Long Grove, 847-550-0983, www.thegrovecc.com

Gull Lake View Golf Club & Resort (P)

Augusta, MI, 269-731-4149, www.gulllakeview.com

Hamilton County Golf Courses

Hamilton County, IN, 800-776-8687, www.8greattowns.com

Harborside International (P)

Chicago, 312-782-7837, www.harborsideinternational.com

Harrison Hills Golf & Country Club (P)

Attica, IN, 765-762-1135, www.harrisonhills.com

Harry Mussatto (WIU) (P)

Macomb, 309-298-3676, www.golf.wiu.edu

Harry Semrow Driving Range (P)

Des Plaines, 847-296-5764, www.forestpreservegolf.com/courses

Hawk’s Eye Golf Resort (R)

Bellaire, MI, 866-868-8181, www.golfbellaire.com

HawksHead Links (P)

South Haven, MI, 269-639-2121, www.hawksheadlinks.com

Hawk’s View Golf Club (P)

Lake Geneva, WI, 877-429-5788, www.hawksviewgolfclub.com

Hawthorn Woods Country Club (PV)

Hawthorn Woods, 847-847-3259, www.hwccgolf.com

Hayward Golf Club (P)

Hayward, WI, 877-377-4653, www.haywardgolf.com

Heather Ridge Golf Course (P)

Gurnee, 847-367-6010, www.heatherridgegolf.com

Heritage Bluffs Public Golf Club (P)

Channahon, 815-467-7888, www.heritagebluffs.com

Heritage Glen Golf Club (P)

Paw Paw, MI, 269-657-2552, www.heritageglengolf.com

Hickory Hills CC (P)

Hickory Hills, 708-598-5900, www.hickoryhillscntryclub.com

Hickory Knoll Golf Course (P) Lake Villa, 847-356-8640

Hickory Point Golf Club (P)

Forsyth, 217-421-7444, www.decatur-parks.org/golf/index.php

Hickory Ridge Golf Course (P)

Galesburg, MI, 269-382-6212, www.golfhickoryridge.com

Essex, 815-365-4000, www.golfhighpoint.com Highland Park, 847-433-9015, www.highlandparkcc.com

Highland Woods Golf Course (P)

Hoffman Estates, 847-359-5850, www.forestpreservegolf.com

The Highlands of Elgin (P)

Elgin, 847-931-5950, www.highlandsofelgin.com

Hilldale Golf Club (P)

Hoffman Estates, 847-310-1100, www.hilldalegolf.com

Hinsdale Golf Club (PV)

Clarendon Hills, 630-986-5330, www.hinsdalegolfclub.org

The House on the Rock Resort (R)

Spring Green, WI, 608-588-7000, www.thehouseontherock.com

Hughes Creek Golf Club (P)

Elburn, 630-365-9200, www.hughescreek.com

Hunter Country Club (P) Richmond, 815-678-7940

Hunter’s Ridge Golf Course (P)

Princeton, 815-879-6531, www.huntersridgegc.com

Idlewild Country Club (PV)

Flossmoor, 708-798-0514, www.idlewildcc.net

Indian Boundary Golf Course (P)

Chicago, 773-625-9630, www.forestpreservegolf.com

Indian Hill Golf Club (PV)

Winnetka, 847-251-1711, www.indianhillclub.org

Indian Lakes Resort (R)

Bloomingdale, 630-529-6466, www.indianlakesresort.com

Indian Oaks Country Club (P)

Shabbona, 815-824-2202, www.indianoakscountryclub.com

Indian Ridge Country Club (P)

East Dubuque, 815-747-3874, www.lacomagolf.com Lafayette, IN, 765-458-4588, www.lafayette.in.gov/golf

LaGrange Country Club (PV)

LaGrange, 708-352-0066, www.lagrangecc.org

Lake Barrington Shores Golf Club (PV) Barrington, 847-382-4240, www.lbsgolf.com

Lake Bluff Golf Club (P)

Lake Bluff, 847-234-6771, www.lakebluffgolfclub.com

Lake Doster Golf Club (P)

Plainwell, MI, 269-685-5308, www.lakedostergolf.com

Lake Michigan Hills Golf Club (P)

Benton Harbor, MI, 269-849-4653, www.lakemichiganhills.com

Lake Park Golf Course (P)

Des Plaines, 847-391-5730, www.dpparks.org

Lake Shore Country Club (PV)

Glencoe, 847-835-3000, www.lakeshorecountryclub.com

Lake Zurich Golf Club (PV) Lake Zurich, 847-438-2431

Lake Lawn Resort (R)

Delavan, WI, 262-725-9066, www.lakelawnresort.com

Lakemoor Golf Course (P)

Lakemoor, 815-759-0011, www.lakemoorgolfclub.com

Lakewoods Forest Ridges Golf Course

Cable, WI, 800-255-5937, www.lakewoodsresort.com

Lansing Country Club (PV)

Lansing, 708-474-1590, www.lanscc.com

The Leelanau Club at Bahle Farms (P)

Bingham, MI, 231-271-2020, www.leelanauclub.com

Indian Run Golf Club (P)

The Legend at Bergamont (PV) Oregon, WI, 608-291-2400, wwwthelegendatbergamont.com Leisure Village Golf Course (PV)

Innsbrook Country Club (PV)

Libertyville Golf Course (P)

Hobart, IN, 219-942-2577

Scotts, MI, 269-327-1327, www.irgolfclub.com Merrillville, IN, 219-980-9060, www.innsbrookcc.com

Inverness Golf Club (PV)

Palatine, 847-359-0244, www.invernessgolfclub.org

Inwood Golf Course (P)

Joliet, 815-741-7265, www.inwoodgc.com

Ironwood Golf Course (P)

Normal, 309-454-9620, www.golfironwood.org

Island Hills Golf Club (P)

Centreville, MI, 269-467-7261, www.islandhillsgolf.com

Itasca Country Club (PV)

Itasca, 630-773-1800, www.itascacountryclub.com

Ivanhoe Club (PV)

Mundelein, 847-970-3800, www.ivanhoeclub.com

Jackson Park Golf Club (P)

Chicago, 773-667-0524, www.cpdgolf.com/courses/jackson-park

Joe Louis “The Champ” Golf Course (P)

Riverdale, 708-849-1731, www.forestpreservegolf.com/courses

Joliet Country Club (PV)

Joliet, 815-723-9613, www.jolietcountryclub.com

Kampen Course (P)

West Lafayette, IN, 765-494-3139, www.purduegolf.com

Kankakee Country Club (P)

Kankakee, 815-933-6615, www.kankakeecountryclub.com

Kankakee Elks Golf Club (P)

St. Anne, 815-937-9547, www.elksgolf627.com

Kemper Lakes Golf Course (PV)

Long Grove, 847-320-3450, www.kemperlakesgolf.com

Ken Loch Golf Links (P) Lombard, 630-620-9665

Kishwaukee Country Club (PV)

DeKalb, 815-758-6849, www.kishwaukeecc.org

Klein Creek Golf Club (P)

Winfield, 630-690-0101, www.kleincreek.com

Knollwood Club (PV)

Lake Forest, 847-234-1600, www.knollwoodclub.org

Kokopelli Golf Club (PV)

Marion, 618-997-5656, www.kokopelligolf.com

Fox Lake, 847-587-6795, www.leisurevillagefoxlake.com

Libertyville, 847-362-5733, www.libertyville.com/golfcourse

Lick Creek Golf Course (P) Pekin, 309-346-0077

Lincoln Oaks Golf Course (P)

Crete, 708-672-9401, www.lincolnoaksgolfcourse.com

Lincolnshire Country Club (PV)

Crete, 708-672-5090, www.lincolnshirecountryclub.com

Links & Tees Golf Facility (P)

Addison, 630-458-2660, www.addisonparks.org

The Links at Carillon (P)

Plainfield, 815-886-2132, www.carillongolf.com

The Links at Kokopelli (P)

Marion, 618-997-5656, www.KokopelliGolf.com

LochenHeath Golf Club (P)

Williamsburg, MI, 231-938-9800, www.lochenheath.com

Lockport Golf & Recreation Club (PV) Lockport, 815-838-8692

Longwood Country Club (P) Crete, 708-758-1811

The Loon Golf Resort (R)

Gaylord, MI, 989-732-4454, www.loongolfresort.com

Lost Dunes (PV)

Bridgman, MI, 269-465-9300, www.lostdunes.com

Lost Marsh of Hammond (P)

Hammond, IN, 219-932-4046, www.lostmarshgolf.com

Lost Nation Golf Club (P)

Dixon, 815-652-4212, www.lostnationgolf.com

Lynx Golf Course (P)

Otsego, MI, 888-586-5969, www.lynxgolfcourse.com

Makray Memorial Golf Club (P)

Barrington, 847-381-6500, www.makraygolf.com

Manistee National Golf & Resort (R)

Manistee, MI, 231-398-0123, www.manisteenational.com

Manitou Passage Golf Club (P)

Cedar, MI, 231-228-6000, www.manitoupassagegolfclub.com

Manteno Golf Course (P)

Manteno, 815-468-8827, www.mantenogolf.com

WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

MIDWEST SELECT COURSES Oak Meadows Golf Course (P)

Pottawatomie Golf Course (P)

Rockford Country Club (PV)

Maple Meadows Golf Club (P)

Oak Park Country Club (PV)

Prairie Bluff Public Golf Club (P)

Rolling Green Country Club (PV)

Augusta, MI, 269-731-4430

Wood Dale, 630-616-8424, www.dupagegolf.com

Marengo Ridge Golf Club (P)

Marengo, 815-923-2332, www.marengoridgegolfclub.com

Marquette Park Learning Center (P)

Chicago, 312-747-2761, www.cpdgolf.com/courses/marquette-park

Marywood Golf Club (P)

Battle Creek, MI, 269-968-1168, www.marywoodgolf.com

McArthur Golf Course (P) East Chicago, IN, 219-391-8362

McHenry Country Club (PV)

McHenry, 815-385-3435, www.mchenrycc.net

Meadowlark Golf Course (P)

Hinsdale, 708-562-2977, www.forestpreservegolf.com

Meadows Golf Club (P)

Blue Island, 708-385-1994, www.meadowsgc.com

The Medalist Golf Club (P)

Marshall, MI, 269-789-4653, www.themedalist.com

Medinah Country Club (PV)

Medinah, 630-773-1700, www.medinahcc.org

The Merit Club (PV)

Libertyville, 847-918-8800, www.meritclub.org

Mid-Iron Golf Club (P) Lemont, 630-257-3340

Midlane Golf Resort and Suites (R)

Wadsworth, 847-360-0550, www.midlaneresort.com

Midlothian Country Club (PV)

Midlothian, 708-371-2626, www.midlothiancc.org

Milham Park Golf Course (P)

Kalamazoo, MI, 269-344-7639, www.kalamazoogolf.org

Mill Creek Golf Club (P)

Geneva, 630-208-7272, www.millcreekgolfcourse.com

Minne Monesse Golf Club (SP)

Grant Park, 815-465-6653, www.minnemonesse.com

Mission Hills Country Club (PV)

Northbrook, 847-498-3200, www.missionhillsclub.com

Mistwood Golf Club (P)

Romeoville, 815-254-3333, www.mistwoodgc.com

Morningstar Golfers Club (P)

Waukesha, WI, 262-662-1600, www.golfthestar.com

Morris Country Club (PV)

Morris, 815-942-3628, www.morriscountryclub.com

Moss Creek Golf Club (P)

Winamac, 574-595-3142, www.golfmosscreek.com

Mt. Prospect Golf Club (P)

Mt. Prospect, 847-259-4200, www.mppd.org/facility/golf

Naperbrook Golf Course (P)

Plainfield, 630-378-4215, www.naperbrookgolfcourse.org

Naperville Country Club (PV)

Naperville, 630-355-0747, www.napervillecc.org

Nettle Creek Country Club (P)

Morris, 815-941-4300, www.nettlecreek.com

Nickol Knoll Golf Course (P)

Arlington Heights, 847-590-6050, www.ahpd.org/nkgc

Nippersink Country Club & Lodge (SP)

Genoa City, WI, 262-279-6311, www.nippersinkresort.com

North Shore Country Club (PV)

Glenview, 847-729-1200, www.north-shorecc.org

Northmoor Country Club (PV)

Highland Park, 847-432-6092, www.northmoor.org

Northwood Golf Club (P)

Rhinelander, WI, 715-282-6565, www.northwoodgolfclub.com

Oak Brook Golf Club (P)

Oak Brook, 630-368-6400, www.oak-brook.org

Oak Club of Genoa (P)

Genoa, 815-784-5678, www.oakclubgenoa.com

Oak Grove Golf Course (P)

Harvard, 815-648-2550, www.oakgrovegolfcourse.com

Oak Hills Country Club (SP)

Palos Heights, 708-448-5544, www.oakhills.com

MIDWEST SELECT COURSES

Maple Hills Golf Course (P)

WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Addison, 630-595-0071, www.dupagegolf.com Oak Park, 708-453-5554, www.oakparkcountryclub.com

Oak Springs Golf Course (P) St. Anne, 815-937-1648

Oak Terrace Resort (P)

Pana, 800-577-7598, www.oakterraceresort.com

The Oaks Golf Course (P)

Cottage Grove, WI, 608-837-4774, www.golftheoaks.com

Odyssey Country Club (P)

Tinley Park, 708-429-7400, www.odysseycountryclub.com

Old Elm Club (PV)

Fort Sheridan, 847-432-6272, www.oldelmclub.com

Old Oak Country Club (P)

Homer Glen, 708-301-3344, www.oldoakcc.com

Old Orchard Country Club (P)

Mt. Prospect, 847-255-2025, www.oldorchardcc.com

Old Top Farm Golf Course (P) Crystal Lake, 815-479-9361

Old Wayne Golf Course (PV) West Chicago, 630-231-1350

Olde Mill Golf Club (P)

Schoolcraft, MI, 269-679-5625, www.oldemillgolfclub.com

Olympia Fields Country Club (PV)

Olympia Fields, 708-748-0495, www.ofcc.info

Onwentsia Club (PV)

Lake Forest, 847-234-0120, www.onwentsiaclub.com

Orchard Valley Golf Course (P)

Aurora, 630-907-0500, www.orchardvalleygolf.com

Otsego Club (R)

Gaylord, MI, 800-752-5510, www.otsegoclub.com

Otter Creek Golf Course (P)

Columbus, IN, 812-579-5227, www.ottercreekgolf.com

Palatine Hills Golf Course (P)

Palatine, 847-359-4020, www.palatinehills.org

Palmira Golf Club (P)

St. John, IN, 219-365-4331, www.palmiragolf.com

Palos Country Club (P)

Orland Park, 708-448-6063, www.paloscountryclub.com

Palos Hills Golf Club (P)

Palos Hills, 708-599-0202, www.paloshillsweb.org

Park Hills Golf Course (P)

Freeport, 815-235-3611, www.golfparkhills.com

Park Ridge Country Club (PV)

Park Ridge, 847-823-0410, www.parkridgecc.org

Peter Jans Golf Course (P)

Evanston, 847-475-9173, www.peterjansgolf.org

Pheasant Run Resort (R)

St. Charles, 630-584-4914, www.pheasantrun.com

Pheasant Valley Country Club (P) Crown Point, IN , 219-663-5000

Phillips Park Golf Course (P)

Aurora, 630-256-3760, www.aurora-il.org/parksandrecreation

Pilgrim’s Run Golf Club (P)

Pierson, MI, 888-533-7742, www.pilgrimsrun.com

Pine Hills Golf Club (P)

Ottawa, 815-434-3985, www.pinehillsgc.com

Pine Lakes Golf Club(P)

Herrin, 618-942-6816, www.PineLakes18.com

Pine Meadow Golf Club (P)

Mundelein, 847-566-4653, www.pinemeadowgc.com

Pinecrest Golf & Country Club (P)

Huntley, 847-669-3111, www.pinecrestgc.com

Pistakee Country Club (P) McHenry, 815-385-9854

Plum Creek Country Club (P)

Carmel, IN, 317-573-9900, www.plumcreekgolfclub.com

Plum Tree National Golf Club (P)

Harvard, 815-943-7474, www.plumtreegolf.com

Point O’ Woods Golf & Country Club (PV)

Benton Harbor, MI, 269-944-1433, www.pointowoods.com

St. Charles, 630-584-8356, www.pottawatomiegc.com Crest Hill, 815-836-4653, www.prairiebluffgc.com

Prairie Isle Golf Club (P)

Prairie Grove, 815-356-0202, www.prairieisle.com

Prairie Lakes Resort (R) Marseilles, 815-795-5107

Prairie Landing Golf Club (P)

West Chicago, 630-208-7600, www.prairielanding.com

Prairie View Golf Club (P)

Carmel, IN, 317-816-3100, www.prairieviewgc.com

The Prairies Golf Club (P) Kalamazoo, MI, 269-343-3906

PrairieView Golf Course (P)

Byron, 815-234-4653, www.prairieviewgolf.com

Prairie Vista Golf Course (P)

Bloomington, 309-434-2217, www.prairievistagc.com

Prestwick Country Club (PV)

Frankfort, 815-469-2136, www.prestwickcc.com

Purgatory Golf Club (P)

Noblesville, IN, 317-776-4653, www.purgatorygolf.com

Quail Ridge Golf Club (P)

Ada, MI, 616-676-2000, www.quailridgegc.com

Rail Golf Course (P)

Springfield, 217-525-0365, www.railgolf.com

Randall Oaks Golf Club (P)

West Dundee, 847-428-5661, www.randalloaksgc.com

The Ravines (P)

West Lafayette, IN, 765-497-7888, www.ravinesgolf.com

Ravines Golf Club (P)

Saugatuck, MI, 269-857-1616, www.ravinesgolfclub.com

Ravinia Green Country Club (PV)

Deerfield, 847-945-6200, www.raviniagreen.com

Ravisloe Country Club (P)

Homewood, 708-798-5600, www.ravisloecountryclub.com

Red Arrow Golf Course (P)

Kalamazoo, MI, 269-345-8329, www.kalamazoogolf.org

Red Tail Run Golf Club (P)

Decatur, 217-422-2211, www.redtailrun.org

RedTail Golf Club (P)

Village of Lakewood, 815-477-0055, www.redtailgolf.com

Renwood Golf Course (P)

Round Lake Beach, 847-231-4711, www.renwoodgolf.com

Resorts of Tullymore & St. Ives (R)

Stanwood, MI, 800-972-4837, www.tullymoregolf.com

Rich Harvest Farms (PV)

Sugar Grove, 630-466-7610, www.richharvestfarms.com

Ridge Country Club (PV)

Chicago, 773-238-9400, www.ridgecc.org

Ridgemoor Country Club (PV)

Chicago, 708-867-8400, www.ridgemoorcc.com

Ridgeview Golf Course (P)

Kalamazoo, MI, 269-375-8821, www.ridgeviewgolf.com

River Bend Golf Course (P)

Lisle, 630-968-1920, www.riverbendgolfclub.org

River Forest Country Club (PV)

Elmhurst, 630-279-5444, www.riverforestcc.org

River Glen Country Club (P)

Fishers, IN, 317-849-8274, www.riverglencc.com

River Heights Golf Course (P)

DeKalb, 815-758-1550, www.riverheightsgc.com

River Oaks Golf Course (P)

Calumet City, 708-868-4090, www.forestpreservegolf.com/courses

River Pointe Country Club (P)

Hobart, IN, 219-942-2747, www.riverpointecc.net

Riverside Golf Club (PV)

North Riverside, 708-447-8152, www.rgc.org

Rob Roy Golf Course (P)

Prospect Heights, 847-253-4544, www.rtpd.org/golf

Robert A. Black Golf Club (P)

Chicago, 312-742-7931, www.cpdgolf.com/courses

Rockford, 815-962-0948, www.rockfordcc.com Arlington Heights, 847-253-0400, www.rollinggreen.org

Royal Fox Country Club (PV)

St. Charles, 630-584-4000, www.royalfoxcc.com

Royal Hawk Country Club (PV)

St. Charles, 630-443-3500, www.royalfoxcc.com

Royal Melbourne Country Club (PV)

Long Grove, 847-913-8380, www.royalmelbourne.net

Ruffled Feathers Golf Club (P)

Lemont, 630-257-1000, www.ruffledfeathersgc.com

Ruth Lake Country Club (PV)

Hinsdale, 630-986-2060, www.ruthlakecc.org

Salt Creek Golf Club (P)

Wood Dale, 630-773-0184, www.saltcreekgolfclub.com

The Sanctuary Golf Course (P)

New Lenox, 815-462-4653, www.golfsanctuary.com

Sand Creek Country Club (PV)

Chesterton, IN, 219-395-5200, www.sandcreek.com

Sandy Hollow Golf Course (P)

Rockford, 815-987-8888, www.rockfordparkdistrict.org

Sandy Pines Golf Course (P)

DeMotte, IN, 219-987-3611, www.sandypinesgc.com

Schaumburg Golf Club (P)

Schaumburg, 847-885-9000, www.schaumburggolf.com

Scherwood Golf (P)

Schererville, IN, 219-865-2554, www.scherwood.com

Scovill Golf Club (P)

Decatur, 217-429-6243, www.decatur-parks.org/golf/index.php

Senica Oak Ridge Golf Club (P)

LaSalle, 815-223-7273, www.senicasoakridge.net

SentryWorld (P)

Stevens Point, WI, 866-479-6753, www.sentryworld.com

Settler’s Hill Golf Course (P)

Batavia, 630-232-1636, www.settlershill.com

Seven Bridges Golf Club (P)

Woodridge, 630-964-7777, www.sevenbridges.com

Shady Oaks Country Club (P)

Amboy, 815-849-5424, www.shadyoakscc.com

Shamrock Golf Course (P) St. Anne, 815-937-9355

Shanty Creek Resorts (R)

Bellaire, MI, 231-533-8621, www.shantycreek.com

Shepherd’s Crook Golf Course (P)

Zion, 847-872-2080, www.shepherdscrook.org

Shiloh Park Golf Course (P)

Zion, 847-746-5500, www.shilohparkgolf.com

Shoreacres (PV)

Lake Bluff, 847-234-1472, www.shoreacres1916.com

Silver Lake Country Club (P)

Orland Park, 708-349-6940, www.silverlakecc.com

Silver Oaks Golf Club (PV)

Braidwood, 815-458-2068, www.braidwoodrecclub.com

Silver Ridge Golf Course (P) Oregon, 815-734-4440

Skokie Country Club (PV)

Glencoe, 847-835-5835, www.skokiecc.com

South Gleason Park Golf Course (P) Gary, IN, 219-980-1089

South Shore Country Club (P)

Cedar Lake, IN , 219-374-6070, www.southshorecc.com

South Shore Golf Club (P)

Momence, 815-472-4407, www.ssgcm.com

South Shore Golf Course (P)

Chicago, 773-256-0986, www.cpdgolf.com/courses

Spider Lake Golf Resort (R)

Hayward, WI, 715-462-3200, www.spiderlakegolfresort.com

Spirit Hollow Golf Course (R)

Burlington, IA, 319-752-0004, www.spirithollowgolfcourse.com

Spooner Golf Club (P)

Spooner, WI, 715-635-3580, www.spoonergolf.com

WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

MIDWEST SELECT COURSES TPC Deere Run (SP)

Wicker Park Golf Club (P)

Wood Wind Golf Club (P)

Springbrook Golf Course (P)

Traditions at Chevy Chase (P)

Wild Rock Golf Club (R)

Woodbine Bend Golf Course (PV)

Northbrook, 847-291-2351, www.sportsmansgolf.com Naperville, 630-848-5060, www.springbrookgolfcourse.org

St. Andrews Golf & Country Club (P)

West Chicago, 630-231-3100, www.standrewsgc.com

St. Charles Country Club (PV)

St. Charles, 630-377-9340, www.stcharlescc.com

St. Ives Golf Club (R)

Stanwood, MI, 800-972-4837, www.tullymoregolf.com

Stardust Golf and Country Club (P) Johnston City, IL, 618-527-4122

States Golf Club (P)

Vicksburg, MI, 269-649-1931

Steeple Chase Golf Club (P)

Mundelein, 847-949-8900, www.mundeleinparks.org

Stone Creek Golf Club (P)

Urbana, 217-367-3000, www.stonecreekgolfclub.com

Stonebridge Country Club (PV)

Aurora, 630-820-8887, www.stonebridge-cc.org

Stonehenge Golf Club (PV) Barrington, 847-381-8600

Stonewall Orchard Golf Club (P)

Grayslake, 847-740-4890, www.stonewallorchard.com

Stony Creek Golf Course (P)

Oak Lawn, 708-857-2433, www.golfstonycreek.com

Storybrook Country Club (P)

Hanover, 815-591-2210, www.storybrook.com

Streamwood Oaks Golf Club (P)

Streamwood, 630-483-1881, www.streamwood.org

Sugar Creek Golf Course (P)

Villa Park, 630-834-3325, www.sugarcreekgolfcourse.org

Summertree Golf Course (P) Crown Point, IN, 219-663-0800

Sunset Ridge Country Club (PV)

Northfield, 847-446-5222, www.sunsetridgecc.org

Sunset Valley Golf Course (P)

Highland Park, 847-432-7140, www.sunsetvalleygolfcourse.org

Swan Lake Resort (R)

Plymouth, IN, 800-582-7539 www.swanlakeresort.com

Swanhills Golf Course (P) Belvidere, 815-547-3232

Sweetgrass Golf Club (R)

Harris, MI, 906-723-2251, www.sweetgrassgolfclub.com

Sycamore Golf Club (P)

Sycamore, 815-895-3884, www.sycamoreparkdistrict.com

Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course (P)

Chicago, 312-742-7930, www.cpdgolf.com/courses

Tagalong Golf Resort (R)

Birchwood, WI, 800-657-4843, www.tagalonggolf.com

Tahkodah Hills Golf Course (P) Cable, WI, 715-798-3760

Tam O’Shanter Golf Course (P)

Niles, 847-965-2344, www.niles-parks.org

Tamarack Golf Club (P)

Naperville, 630-904-4000, www.tamarackgc.com

Tanna Farms Golf Club (P)

Geneva, 630-232-4300, www.tannafarms.com

Telemark Golf Course (P)

Cable, WI, 715-798-3104, www.telemarkgolfcourse.com

Terrace Hill Country Club (PV) Algonquin, 847-658-4653

Thornapple Creek Golf Club (P)

Kalamazoo, MI, 269-344-0040, www.thornapplecreek.com

ThunderHawk Golf Club (P)

Beach Park, 847-968-4295, www.lcfpd.org/thunderhawk

Timber Pointe Golf Club (P)

Poplar Grove, 815-544-1935, www.golfthepointe.com

Timber Ridge Golf Club (P)

Minocqua, WI, 715-356-9502, www.timberridgegolfclub.com

TimberStone at Pine Mountain (R)

Iron Mountain, MI, 906-776-0111, www.pinemountainresort.com

MIDWEST SELECT COURSES

Sportsman’s Country Club (P)

WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Silvis, 309-796-6000, www.tpc.com/deererun Wheeling, 847-465-2300, www.chevychasecountryclub.com

Trappers Turn Golf Club (P)

Wisconsin Dells, WI, 800-221-8876, www.trappersturn.com

Tuckaway Golf Club (P)

Crete, 708-946-2259, www.tuckawaygc.com

Tullymore Golf Club (R)

Stanwood, MI, 800-972-4837, www.tullymoregolf.com

Turkey Creek Golf Club (P) Merrillville, IN, 219-980-5170

Turnberry Country Club (PV)

Crystal Lake, 815-459-3356, www.turnberrycc.com

Twin Lakes Golf Club (P) Westmont, 630-852-7167

Twin Lakes Recreation Area (P)

Palatine, 847-934-6050, www.saltcreekpd.com

Twin Orchard Country Club (PV)

Long Grove, 847-634-3800, www.twinorchardcc.org

University Golf Club (P)

Highland, IN, 219-838-9809, www.wickermemorialpark.com Wisconsin Dells, WI, 608-253-4653, www.wildrockgolf.com

Willow Crest Golf Club at Oak Brook Hills Marriott (R) Oak Brook, 630-850-5530, www.willowcrestgolf.com

Willow Glen Golf Club (P)

Great Lakes, 847-688-4593, www.mwrgl.com/default.htm

Willow Run Golf Course (P)

Mokena, 815-485-2119, www.willowrungolf.net

Willowhill Golf Course (P)

Northbrook, 847-480-7888, www.willowhillgolfcourse.com

Wilmette Golf Club (P)

Wilmette, 847-256-9646, www.golfwilmette.com

Wing Park Golf Course (P)

Elgin, 847-931-5952, www.cityofelgin.org

Winnetka Golf Club (P)

Winnetka, 847-501-2050, www.winnetkagolfclub.com

Wolf Run Golf Course (P)

Westfield, IN, 317-669-8550, www.woodwindgolf.com Stockton, 815-858-3939, www.woodbinebend.com

Woodbine Golf Course (P)

Homer Glen, 708-301-1252, www.woodbinegolf.com

Woodruff Golf Course (P)

Joliet, 815-741-7272, www.woodruffgc.com

Woodstock Country Club (PV)

Woodstock, 815-338-5355, www.woodstockcc.com

Wynstone Golf Club (PV)

North Barrington, 847-304-2810, www.wynstone.org

Yarrow Golf & Conference Center (R)

Augusta, MI, 800-563-4397, www.yarrowgolf.com

Youche Country Club (PV)

Crown Point, IN, 219-663-1418, www.youchecc.org

Zigfield Troy Golf (P)

Woodridge, 630-985-9860, www.zigfieldtroygolf.com

Aurora, 630-906-1402, www.wolfrungolfcourse.net

University Park, 708-747-0306, www.universitygolfclub.com

University Ridge (P)

Verona, WI, 608-845-7700, www.universityridge.com

CHICAGOLAND PRACTICE FACILITIES

Valley Green Golf Course (P)

North Aurora, 630-897-3000, www.valleygreengc.com

Addison Links & Tees Golf Facility (P)

Joe Louis Driving Range

Valley-Lo Sports Club (PV)

Addison, 630-458-2660, www.addisonparks.org

BallyBunion

The Driving Range at Libertyville Sports Complex

Glenview, 847-729-5550, www.valleylo.org

Vernon Hills Golf Course (P)

Vernon Hills, 847-680-9310, www.vernonhillsgolf.com

Villa Olivia Country Club (P)

Bartlett, 630-289-1000, www.villaolivia.com

Village Green Golf Course (P)

Mundelein, 847-566-7373, www.villagegreengc.com

Village Greens of Woodridge (P)

Woodridge, 630-985-3610, www.villagegreensgolf.com

Village Links of Glen Ellyn (P)

Glen Ellyn, 630-469-8180, www.villagelinksgolf.com

Visit Green Lake

Green Lake, WI, 800-253-7354, www.visitgreenlake.com

Walnut Greens Golf Course (P)

Schaumburg, 847-490-7878, www.walnutgreensgolf.com

Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame (P)

South Bend, IN, 574-631-4653, www.warrengolfcourse.com

Water’s Edge Golf Club (P)

Worth, 708-671-1032, www.watersedgegolf.com

WeaverRidge Golf Club (P)

Peoria, 309-691-3344, www.weaverridge.com

Weber Park Golf Course (P)

Skokie, 847-674-1500 ext. 3600, www.skokieparks.org

Wedgewood Golf Course (P)

Plainfield, 815-741-7270, www.wedgewoodgc.com

Western Acres Golf Course (P)

Lombard, 630-469-6768, www.westernacres.com

Westmoreland Country Club (PV)

Wilmette, 847-251-4600, www.westmorelandcc.org

Whisper Creek Golf Club (P)

Huntley, 847-515-7682, www.whispercreekgolf.com

White Deer Run Golf Club (P)

Vernon Hills, 847-680-6100, www.whitedeergolf.com

White Eagle Golf Club (PV)

Naperville, 630-983-6836, www.whiteeaglegc.com

White Hawk Country Club (P)

Crown Point, IN, 219-661-2323, www.whitehawkcountryclub.com

White Mountain Golf Course (P)

Tinley Park, 708-478-4653, www.whitemountaingolfpark.com

White Pines Golf Club (P)

Bensenville, 630-766-0304, www.whitepinesgolf.com

Whitetail Ridge Golf Club (P)

Yorkville, 630-882-8988, www.whitetailridgegolfclub.com

Whittaker Woods Golf Club (R)

New Buffalo, MI, 269-469-3400, www.golfwhittaker.com

Long Grove, 847-634-3363

Bartlett Golf Center Bartlett, 630-830-9385

Better Shots

Gilberts, 847-697-5000

Birdies & Eagles

South Elgin, 847-931-2233

Bobby’s Hunt Club Golf Center Gurnee, 847-549-6090

Boulder Golf Range

Hoffman Estates, 847-426-1588, www.boulderrange.com

Bushwood Golf Practice Center

Maywood, 708-344-2700, www.bushwooddrivingrange.com

Riverdale, 708-849-1731, www.forestpreservegolf.com

Libertyville, 847-367-1506, www.libertyvillesportscomplex.com

Links & Tees Golf Facility

Addison, 630-458-2660, www.addisonparks.org

Lippold Park Family Golf Center

Crystal Lake, 815-477-5401, www.crystallakeparks.org

Marquette Park Learning Center (P) Chicago, 312-747-2761, www.cpdgolf.com

Master Golf

Grayslake, 847-223-6886, www.mastergolfonline.com

Fresh Meadow Golf Learning Center

Hillside, 708-449-6767, www.freshmeadowgc.com

Oakton Driving Range

Park Ridge, 847-692-3580, www.parkridgeparkdistrict.com

Chicago Family Golf Center

Parfection Park Golf Center

Chicagoland Golf Academy

Partner Golf Center

Crystal Lake Learning Center

PGN Fun Village

Ditka’s Sports Dome

Pro Circle

Diversey Driving Range

Riedy’s Tee Time

Double Eagle Practice Center

Skokie Sports Park

Douglas Park Learning Course and Miniature Golf (P)

Sugar Grove Driving Range

Flagg Creek

Sunset Meadows

Fresh Meadow Learning Center (P)

T-Time Golf Range

Golf Center Des Plaines

TopGolf

Golf Farm

The Players Club of Chicago

Golf Learning Center at Hamilton Lakes

Village of Bridgeview Sports Dome

Green Valley Golf Range

Westland Golf

Greyslake Golf Practice Center

Woodland Trails

Harry Semrow Driving Range

Zigfield Troy Golf (P)

Chicago, 312-616-1234

Chicago, 312-285-4673, www.chicagolandgolfacademy.com Crystal Lake, 815-479-9150

Bolingbrook, 630-739-7600, www.ditkasportsdome.com Chicago, 312-742-7929, www.cpdgolf.com/courses Justice, 708-458-9200

Chicago, 312-747-7670, www.cpdgolf.com/courses/douglas-park Countryside, 708-246-3336, www.flaggcreekgolfcourse.org Hillside, 708-449-6767, www.freshmeadowgc.com Des Plaines, 847-803-4653, www.golfcenterdesplaines.com Wauconda, 847-526-4000, www.golf-farm.com Itasca, 630-773-7997

Hanover Park, 630-289-6600, www.greenvalleygolfrange.com Grayslake, 847-752-8483

Des Plaines, 847-296-5764, www.forestpreservegolf.com

Yorkville, 630-553-6855

Chicago, 773-286-2060, www.partnergolfcenter.com Hickory Hills, 708-430-7900, www.hickoryhillsresortinfo.com Spring Grove, 815-675-2747, www.procirclegolf.com Lisle, 866-587-3122, www.riedysteetime.com Skokie, 847-674-1500 ext. 3100, www.skokieparks.org Sugar Grove, 630-466-4554, www.sugargrovefuncenter.com Arlington Heights, 847-394-5865 www.ahpd.org/algc Homer Glen, 708-301-6500, www.ttimegolfrange.com Wood Dale, 630-595-4653, www.topgolf.com Justice, 708-924-9889, www.tpcchicago.com

Bridgeview, 708-924-8290, www.villageofbridgeview.com Huntley, 847-669-0204 Mt. Prospect, 847-296-4653, www.rtpd.org Woodridge, 630-985-9860, www.zigfieldtroygolf.com

Highland Park Golf Learning Center

Highland Park, 847-433-3422, www.highlandparkillinois.net

WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

The First Tee

Breaking 100

Partnership with the Chicago Parks Golf Alliance will help The First Tee of Greater Chicago reach 100,000 kids by 2020

t’s a new year, a new partnership, and a familiar goal for The First Tee of Greater Chicago. The First Tee of Greater Chicago has its sights set on reaching 100,000 area youth by the year 2020 and the newly formed partnership with the Chicago Parks Golf Alliance will help them get there. The two organizations will join forces to create a dedicated youth clubhouse and short game area at the proposed facility at South Shore and Jackson Park golf courses. This project has taken center stage across the city as it will be designed by Tiger Woods’ design company and has some of the biggest names in golf behind it. (See our full story on page 90.) While the project is still in the planning phases, The First Tee of Greater Chicago is working closely in collaboration with the Chicago Parks Golf Alliance and the Chicago Park District to bring this vision to life. Building a safe haven for youth development on the South Side of the city will be a benefit to everyone in that area. This project will allow The First Tee to grow programming on the South Side of Chicago and reach more young people each year, teaching them the game of golf and its inherent values. The First Tee already serves more than 250 youth each year at the Jackson Park and South Shore golf courses and with improved facilities, that number can be much more. Advocates of this project see it as an engine for youth golf and economic development on the South Side. The First Tee of Greater Chicago’s mission is to reach 100,000 kids by 2020, through a variety of events and youth programs. WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

The First Tee Summer Caddie Program In anticipation for the new world class caliber golf course on the South Side of the city, The First Tee of Greater Chicago has teamed up with the Western Golf Association (WGA) to implement a caddie program at Jackson Park and South Shore golf courses this summer where as many as 20 local teens will be employed by the course at no additional cost to the golfers. WGA will subsidize and manage this program for high school students residing in the communities surrounding the South Shore and Jackson Park golf courses. These caddies range from Par to Eagle Level in The First Tee with some 72

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participants having been involved with The First Tee since the age of 9. This program will run for seven weeks starting in July, with youth caddying six days a week, including weekends. These caddies will follow The First Tee curriculum while being trained by WGA coaches through both classroom style and on-the-course training. This program will not only create jobs for local youth, but could potentially yield college scholarships as those who complete the program are eligible to apply for the Evans Scholarship, which provides a full, four-year tuition and housing grant to students at top universities across the country.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Participants at the South Shore program locations earn certificates. Mark Rolfing from Chicago Parks Golf Alliance with TFTGC coaches and participants. Summer caddies await their loops at Jackson Park/South Shore. Participants and mentors at the PwC Earn Your Future Mentor Day. Both locally and nationally, The First Tee seeks to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. The First Tee of Greater Chicago is in its 17th year of serving youth in the Chicagoland area and anticipates reaching over 50,000 junior golfers in 2017 between programs in elementary schools, partner youth organizations and green grass facilities.

Trained coaches and mentors help shape the lives of these young people from all walks of life by reinforcing values like integrity, respect and perseverance. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s making a difference â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 84 percent of participants in The First Tee consider their coaches to be their mentors by inspiring them and introducing them to new people and opportunities. The First Tee curriculum focuses on teaching youth Nine Core Values and Nine Healthy Habits, and research has WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Summer Memberships Available! Get Your Tour Card Today!

The Tour that Lets the Amateur Tee it Up Like a Pro The check presentation at the Taste of The First Tee, sponsored by Tour pro Luke Donald (second from left). shown that this is making a lasting impact by creating better citizens, as well as, lifelong golfers with 96 percent of participants crediting The First Tee with improving their golf skills. The program aims to get young people get ready for life’s challenges, and participants have reported an improvement of interpersonal skills, managing emotions, goal-setting and resilience the longer they have stayed in the program.

Signature Events are Vital Each year The First Tee of Greater Chicago hosts a select number of “signature” events. These events are at the core of our fundraising efforts and vital to sustaining the mission to impact the lives of young people. The signature events are also fun, first-class opportunities for supporters to become more engaged with The First Tee and mingle with others that share the common bond of providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game 74

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of golf. The 2017 event calendar is packed with wonderful events and opportunities to become involved in the organization. Participation in these events is the best way to support The First Tee and reap the enjoyment of your generous giving:

If you are looking for competitive golf tournaments and a chance to meet great golfers, then get your tour card today! • • • •

18 & 36 hole stroke play and better ball tournaments USGA Handicap to maintain tournament integrity Visa Gift Cards & Trophies at each tournament for champions and top finishers in each flight Five Flights to compete in, play only against your skill level

Chicago Tour Schedule

Milwaukee Tour Schedule

DATE

COURSE

CHICAGO CLASSIC

A Day at The Dunes Club

15-16 July

Monday, July 24 - Dunes Club, New Buffalo

Luke Donald’s Taste of The First Tee

July

CHICAGO OPEN

Monday, Sept. 11 - Conway Farms Golf Club

12 26 9

Golf Marathon

CHICAGO CHAMPIONSHIP

Friday, Sept. 29 - Canal Shores Golf Course

Corporate Challenge Golf Tournament Monday, Oct. 9 - Glen View Club There are many ways to become involved with The First Tee of Greater Chicago. Visit www.thefirstteegreaterchicago.org for further information on program locations, schedules and signature events.

Aug Aug Sep

Bowes Creek CC & Highlands of Elgin Prairie Landing GC

Sep

Stonewall Orchard GC Village Links of Glen Ellyn Ravisloe Country Club Cantigny

8 22

July July

COURSE

Morningstar Golf Club Washington County

MILWAUKEE OPEN 19-20 Aug 9 Sep

Grand Geneva Resort Brown Deer GC

MILWAUKEE CHAMPIONSHIP 23

Sep

Geneva National

Chicago & Milwaukee Tours BORDER BATTLE IV - Ryder Cup Event 7-8

Oct

The Legends of Merrill Hills

Top Players advance to

NATIONAL TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP October 20-22, 2017 Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

www.amateurgolftour.com Email us at: Chicago@amateurgolftour.net or Milwaukee@amateurgolftour.net

Kind of a When it comes to destination golf, it’s hard to overlook the incredible collectiongolf, of Big TentoConference courses When it comes to destination it’s hard overlook the incredible By Rob Hernandez

collection of Big Ten Conference courses By Rob Hernandez MADISON, Wisconsin — A universityowned golf course in the Big Ten Conference needs to be many things to many people, but how about when it needs to spend a week as the office for a three-time Masters champion? Fortunately for those from the University of Wisconsin charged with preparing and hosting the recent American Family 76

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Insurance Championship on the PGA Tour Champions, it was all good. University Ridge Golf Course rolled out the red carpet for the second year of the Am Fam Championship in June and, much to everyone’s surprise, Sir Nick Faldo was among the new faces drawn to Madison. The six-time major champion hadn’t played competitively in nearly two years, teeing up

opinions as lead analyst for CBS and the Golf Channel far more often than he does his own ball. His first impressions of the Robert Trent Jones Jr. design and everything that went with it could be contained in three flattering words: “Lucky college kids,” Faldo said. “This is some setup for a college golf course,” he continued, his envy as green as the three Masters champion blazers in his closet. “I mean, this is very impressive.” While Faldo left everyone to wonder what he meant when he said, “I would’ve been

Deal very happy here,” fellow Englishman Colin Montgomerie — another U-Ridge rookie — got right to the point. “I wish I had come to the University of Wisconsin golf program,” Monty said. “I’ll tell you if this is their own course and what they do, it’s superb. Even to walk into the golf shop and see all the red and white. My, this is a great (facility).” Hmm. Faldo and Montgomerie as UW students by morning and U-Ridge rats by afternoon? Not since Rodney Dangerfield strolled down Bascom Hill in a bathrobe in WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

PREVIOUS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The University of Michigan has a Dye and a MacKenzie. The clock tower at Purdue. Michigan State’s famous Sparty. Ohio State’s Scarlet Course. Minneapolis is one of America’s best college towns. Big Ten football is still king, from Nebraska to Maryland. Wisconsin’s University Ridge is home to college stars and touring pros, like the Champions Tour’s Am Fam Championship (left).

the movie “Back to School” has there been such a vivid endorsement for being a Badger or, in the latest round of European-sourced approval, such a glowing reflection of how important golf is for schools in the Big Ten. Thirteen of the 14 schools that now comprise the conference boast their own university-owned golf facility. Six of them have multiple 18-hole championship layouts; another (Indiana) has a par-3 course; Illinois has incorporated the mixed-use Foot Golf into one of its courses — ahem — to boot. Some park cars on them for football games. Others rotate a busy schedule of academic and athletic outings through them. All of them are home to their men’s and women’s golf teams. Once as much as a recruiting tool for faculty and staff as they were for intercollegiate golfers, Big Ten courses now court another golfer critical to the bottom line: The destination golfer. “Which is those from outside of our 78

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area, outside of an hour that we’re trying to attract,” said Dan Ross, the head golf professional and director of instruction at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Indiana, where — with the help of noted architect Pete Dye — the school spent nearly 20 years renovating its two courses with an expanding market in mind. “Obviously, outside of the state — a lot from Illinois and Wisconsin and Michigan and Ohio and Kentucky, surrounding states. Trying to get people to come play our courses. The thing we’re looking at is the opportunity to play 36 holes of Pete Dye golf. You don’t get that too often.”

World-Class Design ‘Lasts Forever’ Indeed, golf courses in the Big Ten are distinguished by the architects who designed them. Some are relative unknowns — like C.W. Wagstaff at Illinois, Jim Soutar at Indiana, or George W. Cobb at Maryland.

Some are legends of their craft. University Ridge is the only Robert Trent Jones Jr. offering in the Big Ten. Robert Bruce Harris gave us Finkbine Golf Club in Iowa City. Tom Fazio did the Glen Club near Chicago, which — while not owned by Northwestern — has become the Wildcats’ home. Tom Vardon, whose brother Harry was a seventime major champion in the early 1900s, designed the Les Bolstad Course at the University of Minnesota in the late 1920s. Two have degrees from the universities of which they gave back by designing or renovating their golf courses. That was the case for Michigan State grad Arthur Hills and Dye, who was awarded a doctor of landscape architecture from Purdue in 1995 before he led the redesign work on the North and South courses and transformed them into what today are the highly acclaimed — not to mention very affordable — Kampen and Ackerman-Allen layouts. (Dye designed Kampen for a whopping $1.) And then there is the story of Alister MacKenzie, one of the premier designers of the early 1900s whose fingerprints are on the two of the Big Ten’s finest layouts at Michigan and Ohio State. Fielding Yost, the Michigan athletic director with the foresight to build a 100,000-seat football stadium, was also the one credited with building a golf course across the street in the early 1930s. Of course, nothing was built on campus in Ann Arbor during that era without a splash and the U-M Golf Course at the corner of what is now Stadium and Main was no exception.

“He got MacKenzie to come while he was doing Crystal Downs (in Frankfort, Michigan) on his way to the Scarlet Course (at Ohio State),” said Corbin Todd, the director of golf for the two courses at Michigan. (Pete and Alice Dye designed Radrick Farms off campus in 1965.) “We got set up pretty good by those guys,” Todd said. “You can’t complain too much.” Indeed not. When they were built, the U-M golf course was designed for use largely by students because of its proximity to campus while Radrick Farms — while eight miles from campus “you feel like you went up north, way up north,” Todd said — targeted faculty/staff-related functions. However, more recently, the school has bowed to the reverence golfers have for both designers, and made both courses more available to destination golfers. Todd said his facility now offers a package deal called the “MacKenzie-Dye Experience” in which golfers can play either or both courses for a fee that includes greens fees ($215 weekdays/$260 weekends), cart, welcome gift and concessions voucher. “When you see world-class architecture, you just know it,” Cobb said. “Even if you’re not an avid golfer, (you see) the scale and the drama, especially in the greens. World-class architecture, I think, lasts forever.”

More Competitive Climate If nothing else, the vision designers had in creating the golf courses in their market when they did, the way they did has served WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Big Ten schools well in a competitive golf climate. The Kampen Course at Purdue is the only Big Ten Course included in Golf Digest’s state-by-state ranking, coming in at No. 9 for Indiana. It is one of just four conference layouts featured on Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play (No. 4 in Indiana), joining University Ridge (No. 7 in Wisconsin), U-M Course (No. 8 in Michigan) and The Glen Club (No. 13 in Illinois). However, five Big Ten facilities cracked Golfweek’s 2016 ranking of Best Campus Courses, led by University Ridge at No. 3. Also on the list: Ohio State’s Scarlet Course at No. 9 (up from No. 13 in 2015), the Michigan Course at No. 12 (up from No. 13), the Kampen Course at No. 14 (down from No. 10) and Michigan’s Radrick Farms at No. 16 (up from No. 17). While those courses might compete for the same intercollegiate golfer, they don’t encroach on one another in reeling in the same destination golfer. That competition is closer to home. “In the recruiting process, there is a benefit to having a better facility,” said Ryan Wieme, the head professional at University Ridge in Madison. “That is a big factor for the student-athletes. What facility? What climate? From a business standpoint, the competition is the courses in our own backyard.” In Wisconsin, for example, that competition is immense. Erin Hills, a little over an hour to the east, played host to the U.S. Open this summer. Whistling Straits, about two hours away, has played host to three The University of Michigan Golf Course is one of just two Alister MacKenzie designs in the state (the other being Crystal Downs), and doubles as a parking lot for the Wolverines’ football games in the fall. 80

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PGA Championship and will welcome the Ryder Cup in 2020. Landing the Am Fam Championship for a three-year commitment starting in 2016, however, has given University Ridge a similar event on which to build its reputation. Prior to the PGA Tour Champions coming to town, the course closed parts of its course for extended periods to redo its green complexes and since the seniors have come to town the resources extended by the PGA Tour and its agronomy team have resulted in much better conditions tee-to-green. “I think the mission is still similar; it’s the University of Wisconsin, the athletic department and the golf teams are still a priority,” said Michael Gaspard, the general manager at University Ridge. “That’s who we cater to, but having (the Am Fam Championship) only adds to it. Having the PGA Tour Champions come in and share this with them says we can be more than just a public golf course. There are more ways to showcase our golf courses.” In doing so, destination golfers are finding value that transcends what they’d find at high-end facilities ahead of the Big Ten facilities in course rankings. A GolfTime sample of 2017 greens fees shows the average greens fee during the week is $51.47 and on the weekend it jumps to $65.75. Fees for Ohio State’s courses weren’t included in that average because public access requires golfing with a member at a special rate. Not counting The Glen Club, the offcampus, privately owned facility serving Northwestern, the steepest greens fee on the weekend was $145 at the University of Michigan Golf Course. The lowest greens fee was the $19 rate during the week for 18 holes walking on the Blue Course at Illinois. WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

School

Name of Course

Designer

Fees/Website

University of Illinois GC

C.W. Wagstaff - (1950)

$19 to $26 www.uofigolf.com

Indiana University GC

Jim Soutar - (1957)

$24 www.iugolfcourse.com

Finkbine GC

Robert B. Harris - (1953)

$38 to $48 www.finkbine.com

University of Maryland GC

George W. Cobb - (1959)

$38 to $72 golf.umd.edu

University of Michigan GC

Alister MacKenzie - (1930)

$120 to $145 umgolfcourse.umich.edu

Forest Akers GC East Lansing, MI

West: Arthur Hills - (1992) East: NA

$26 to $54 golf.msu.edu

Les Bolstad GC

Tom Vardon - (1929)

$34 www.uofmgolf.com

Wilderness Ridge GC

Jim White - (2001)

$55 to $65 www.wildernessridgegolf.com

Glen Club

Tom Fazio - (2001)

$105 to $195 www.theglenclub.com

Ohio State University GC

Alister MacKenzie - (1938) (Redesign by Jack Nicklaus - 2001)

$44 to $75 www.ohiostategolfclub.com

Penn State GC (Blue & White) State College, PA

Bob Rutherford/R.D. Pryde; Willie Park Jr. - (1922). Redesign by Ault, Clark & Associates - (2005)

$28 to $57 www.pennstategolfcourses. com

Birck Boilermaker

Pete Dye - (Kampen 1997, Ackerman-Allen 2016)

$72 to $99 www.purduegolf.com

Rutgers GC

Hal Purdy - (1963)

$39 to $54 golfcourse.rutgers.edu

University Ridge GC

Robert Trent Jones Jr. (1991)

$65 to $92 www.universityridge.com

Savoy, Ill.

Bloomington, IN

Iowa City, IA

College Park, MD

Ann Arbor, MI

CLOCKWISE: The Arthur Hills-designed Forest Akers in East Lansing. The Glen Club’s stately clubhouse. Indiana University’s stellar golf center. “It seems like the collegiate golf courses, especially ours, the land was donated and I think the philosophy was let’s give them the place and the opportunity for students to play,” Gaspard said. “Other courses have other philosophies. Ohio State takes care of alumni and current students. They actually say those are the only folks who can play. Each course has a little different niche.”

This is Our Fight Song One niche that all of the courses share is a deep penchant for school spirit. Wieme likes to tell the story when a former management company was searching for “just the right tagline” to market University Ridge. What should the golf course hang its hat on? “I just sat in the meeting dumbfounded 82

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that we’d even be having this conversation,” Wieme said. “I said ‘What better tagline to have than to say we’re the University of Wisconsin’s golf course?’ No one else can say it. It’s who we are. It’s what we are always.” Since then, Wieme’s mission has been to hammer home that University Ridge is all-Badgers, all the time. From Bucky Badger headcovers to the Crest W — plucked from the side of the old UW Field House and added to the lapel of golf polos, visors and caps — few UW properties exude cardinaland-white quite as proudly as the pro shop and clubhouse at University Ridge. “From the moment you walk in the (pro) shop, I don’t want you to see a blue shirt or a green shirt or something that doesn’t mesh with what the University of Wisconsin is

Falcon Heights, MN

Lincoln, NE

Glenview, IL

(Scarlet & Gray) Columbus, OH

(Kampen & Ackerman) West Lafayette, IN

Piscataway, NJ

Madison, WI

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Purdue’s Kampen Course at the Birck Boilermaker Complex was designed by Pete Dye for the whopping sum of $1. all about,” said Wieme, who believes those efforts have been made easier since 2009 when operations of the golf course returned to the UW Athletic Department after a long run with Arnold Palmer Golf Management. “It’s a very obvious thing when people walk in the door. I kid (Kevin) Phelps, the UW Bookstore vice president, that we’re going for a more upscale bookstore-look.” Purdue’s Ross says the same approach is followed at the Birck Boilermaker complex. “The majority of the people who shop here, they tell us all the time they like to come here because the quality of the merchandise is so much better than what they say they find at the bookstore,” Ross said. “It’s not that the bookstores don’t carry good things; they do. It’s just that they are more T-shirt and more sweatshirt oriented; we’re more golf attire.” Minnesota has a statue of Goldie the Gopher on the first tee at Les Bolstad GC. Michigan and Purdue park cars on or near their golf courses across the street from football stadiums. In fact, Pete Dye’s renovations of the Ackerman-Allen course included wider 84

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areas of rough between Nos. 10 and 11 and Nos. 8 and 9, according to Ross. He said that was done to better accommodate football parking without compromising the fairways on those holes. Meanwhile, at the Kampen Course on a game day, it’s almost like you’re on the 50-yard line. “During the game, you can be playing No. 18 on Kampen and hear the (stadium) announcer say ‘Touchdown, Purdue!’ as you’re getting ready to putt,” Ross said. “That’s a unique feeling.”

B1G Courses are Team Players Ultimately, though, the driving force behind the success of the golf course are the teams that call them home. Even at Illinois, where coach Mike Small’s mega-successful men’s program has started to use Stone Creek CC in Urbana for its competition and heavy-duty practice rounds, there is still a sense of pride in the Blue and the Orange courses on campus. “It still means a lot to us and it’s still ours; we go play it,” said Small, whose Illini have

standing invitations at a dozen courses in the Champaign/Urbana area to use their facilities. “So we don’t get bored at a certain place. We move all around to all of these golf courses. The people in town support the university. We have kind of free will at all theses places, which is great. “But the university course is near and dear to us and we still go out and play it and frequent it all the time.” University towns seem to embrace university teams, Minnesota coach John Carlson said. That’s why his Gophers have their pick of at least 14 Minneapolis-area courses and, like the destination golfer who might happen upon the Twin Cities, can start their golf experience in the area at a facility like Les Bolstad Golf Course, but certainly doesn’t have to play all his or her golf there.

“From a public standpoint, we’ve got five or six great public courses that are within 30 minutes of Minneapolis,” Carlson said. “We do utilize all of those clubs. It’s easy to say you have a Hazeltine in your backyard, but if you don’t get to play it should it really (count)? For us, we’re fortunate in that the clubs embrace us in the Twin Cities. They want us so out there so we spread it around.” Back at the designated university courses, though, even teams that might not command as great a presence as they once did continue to have an impact on the overall operation of the course. Professional golfer Tom Lehman donated money to build a practice area at Les Bolstad Golf Course for the Gophers as did Luke Donald for golfers at Northwestern using The Glen Club. That takes pressure off the

on the course When you can tee off Big Ten where the seven-time, ng Illini, play. Champions, the Fighti

Discover six public courses in the heart of Illini country. Check out our golf packages at

visitchampaigncounty.org/golf

ABOVE: The Scarlet Course at Ohio State is one of the Big Ten’s toughest. BELOW: Illinois’ Dylan Meyer leads a powerhouse program that’s made 10 straight NCAA championship tournaments. general practice areas that can now be used exclusively for the public. Bob Bruce, a member of the golf team for two years at UW in the 1950s, made the lead donation on the indoor practice facility that opened two years ago at University Ridge. Last year, Michigan State unveiled a $6million indoor practice area on the east side of Forest Akers West Golf Course. Earlier

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this year, Michigan dedicated the $15million Richard Postma Clubhouse, made possible by a generous donation from the owner and developer of Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club along Lake Michigan. At the same time, few appreciate more the delicate balance between serving all masters of the golf course and pleasing none than the Big Ten men’s and women’s golf coaches. “Probably because I came from a club-pro background, I’m very, very appreciative and very aware of managing a busy, daily-fee facility and trying to have it in condition for a high-level Division I golf program,” said Burcin, who has gained an appreciation for the diversity of Big Ten courses. “I love The Ridge. Purdue is awesome. (Ohio State) Scarlet is so hard. Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, they are fun golf courses.” Collectively, though, they are good enough for the Big Ten to maybe market its own golf trail. “By all means,” Illinois’ Small said. “That’d be a neat trip.”

The Great Remake by the Lake There’s an ambitious, historic project underway on Chicago’s South Side, but the talk is all about the architect, Tiger Woods By Don Shell 3

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t has a big budget, even bigger buzz, and some seriously colossal names connected with it — including NBC commentator Mark Rolfing, President Barack Obama, and a fella named Woods, among others. But what the South Shore and Jackson Park Golf Course Restoration Project has most of all, is the weight of some Windy City-sized expectations around its proverbial shoulders. “We’re very excited about it, that’s one of the goals, to create an urban flagship, a youth-friendly golf hub, and change things in Chicago,” explained Brian Hogan, the longtime Chicagoan, co-founder and director of the Chicago Parks Golf Alliance, the group spearheading the $30+ million project. “These courses have been here since 1899 in Jackson Park, and 1907 in South Shore, but (the goal is to) really improve them in ways that are sustainable for generations to come 14 and make them very youth-friendly, as well. “This has drawn a lot of national attention with Tiger Woods’ involvement, which we’re very, very thankful for.” 13 10

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Woods’ TGR Design golf architecture company has been tapped to take the two historic lakeside courses on the city’s South Side (27 holes in total), and combine them into one championship track fit for the PGA Tour’s BMW Championship, youth clinics and everything in between. And while Tiger has had his share of troubles recently (checking into a treatment facility for painkillers last month), the project hasn’t lost momentum. The current courses occupy lakefront land adjacent to the future home of the Barack Obama Presidential Center, and will be combined into a single 18-hole championship course, along with a short, family-friendly course and expansive teaching facility in partnership with The First Tee of Greater Chicago (see story on page 76). And while other golf architectural firms were consid90

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ered, word has it Mr. Obama himself asked Tiger to be involved. “I’d had two really good experiences with Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, building Kapalua on Maui and Sand Hills in Nebraska, and I was pretty sure they were going to be my guys here in Chicago,” Rolfing said. “But one day President Obama called Tiger, and effectively said, ‘Hey, there’s a project going on up in Chicago, and it’s going to be adjacent to my library and I’m really interested in it. It’s going to be the front doorstep to the library, and the future of public golf up there, and I want you to get involved.’ “Within 10 days of that call, Tiger was in Chicago, with his team. I spent the day with him up there, and it was pretty remarkable. After that day, I was convinced that it was the right fit, for both the project, and for WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

Tiger. It wasn’t because he was going to restore the course the best way or build the best golf holes. It wasn’t about whether the 10th hole was going to be a par 3 or a par 4. It was about the impact this place can have on the community.” Rolfing and Hogan have been working hard on outreach to the community, members of which worry that the course will become too costly for the average person. But the group plans to keep golf free for area kids, and affordable for the adults, as well. That’s the major impetus behind the project, Rolfing said — creating something special for the community. “During that day with him, Tiger must’ve said to me 10 times, ‘Where are all the kids? Where are they?’” Rolfing said. “It was a beautiful Thursday in August, and both courses were pretty empty. Tiger immediately saw a chance to make a difference; given his background in the game, where he was denied access, and in situations 92

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where golf wasn’t maybe affordable. He lived the experience we’re trying to change in Chicago, to make sure there is access for everybody and affordable. ‘That’s what makes this project so unique to anything else in golf, because the actual cost of the restoration is donated private money, it’s not going to have an impact on

ABOVE: With four holes along the lake, the new course will remain one of the very few public courses located on Lake Michigan. LEFT: Tiger Woods has had health issues lately, but his Bluejack National Golf Club won Best New Private Golf Club in 2016 by Golf Digest. what actually has to be charged to keep the operation afloat when it’s done. It’s almost like building a park, where money is donated for the good of the community and a park is built. And that’s happened in Chicago with Millennium Park.” We all know how that project turned out. But we’ll have to wait a while longer to see Woods’ wonder come to completion — the project is set for a 2020 opening. But with preliminary plans unveiled in June, it’s clear the course will have something for everyone. That includes, it seems, wide fairways and big greens, six sets of tees and even caddies (in partnership with the Western Golf Association) to help you on your round. All that and more are planned for the 7,354-yard course (stretched out over a par-70 format),

which will offer stunning views of Lake Michigan (including two par 3s on the water) as well as the friendly, parkland-style layout the courses have today. "We believe in catering the golf experience to a wide swath of people — juniors, elderly, avid players, not-so-avid players," Beau Welling, TGR Design’s senior design consultant, told the Chicago Tribune. "One of Tiger's tenets is playability. How can we bring more people out to the golf course and allow them to have fun?" We’re betting when it’s all said and done, the question won’t be how can they have more fun, it’ll be how could they not? Visit tgrdesign.tigerwoods.com or chicagoparksgolfalliance.org for more information. WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

THE PLACE TO BE ON

‘Sun’

For Golf and Sightseeing, Southern Illinois is a Cool Choice this Summer By Danny Freels

s almost everybody knows, thousands of people head south every year to escape

winter. They’re sick of the cold and they’re sick of the snow and they just want to see the sun again. A great many of them, not surprisingly, want to play golf, too. In 2017, however, there’s a new reason for people in the north to head south. What’s different about this reason, however, is that I don’t mean the deep south, I don’t mean during the winter, and I don’t mean to see the sun — well, at least for a few minutes. Good golf, though, is still part of the program.

The Steve Smyers-designed Kokopelli is the area’s crown jewel for golfers. 94

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You see, this summer — for the first time in our lifetimes — we’ll witness a total solar eclipse all across America, with the epicenter right here in the Midwest. Let me explain. Jackson and Williamson counties in southern Illinois make up a vibrant, rapidly growing area that’s located less than six hours by car from Madison, Wisconsin, five hours from Chicago, four hours from Indianapolis, and only about an hour and a half from St. Louis. Two of the biggest cities in this area are Carbondale (Jackson) and Marion (Williamson). In years past, this was coal country. Today, both counties are filled with art centers, civic centers, excellent restaurants, shopping of all kinds, and numerous activities for every member of the family. There’s even a professional baseball team to root for, the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier league. Now if Jackson and Williamson counties sound a lot like many other areas around the U.S., that may be true — except for one thing. On Aug. 21 of this year, at approximately 1:20 p.m. CST,

this part of southern Illinois will be one of the best places to watch the first total solar eclipse — stretching on a path from the Atlantic to the Pacific — that has taken place in America in nearly 100 years. A total solar eclipse occurs because the sun and the moon appear in sky to be about the same size. In truth, the sun is about 400 times larger than the moon. The moon, however, is about 400 times closer to Earth than the sun. When they align — as they have on occasion for centuries and will again on Aug. 21 — the moon will block our view of the sun except for its atmosphere, known as the corona. At that moment, day will turn to what is often described as “deep twilight.” It’s a cosmic wonder and an experience that fortunate observers will never forget. And here in southern Illinois it will last for almost three minutes — longer than any other observation spot on the eclipse’s path.

Route of the Total Eclipse in 2017

ABOVE: Carterville’s Crab Orchard Golf Club is home to a variety of wildlife, including the osprey (inset). RIGHT, CLOCKWISE: John Brown’s on the Square offers live music and cold craft brew. The tower in the center of Marion is adjacent to a cultural and civic center. The breakfast is worth every penny at The Vault Restaurant, inside an old bank. Don’t miss Pookie’s Beer, Burgers, Bocce — you heard it here first. 96

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The last time a total solar eclipse crossed America from coast to coast was on June 8, 1918. Its path from the Atlantic to the Pacific was roughly the same as the path of this year’s eclipse. As you might expect, there will be a number of activities and events throughout the area leading up to, during and after the eclipse. Blue Skies Vineyards in Makanda (Jackson) is holding a four-day celebration with food, music and a special-label release

wine. Walker’s Bluff Vineyard is getting in on the action as well with an event it’s calling “Moonstock.” This vineyard is located in Carterville (Williamson) and the featured event for “Moonstock” is an Ozzy Osbourne concert — he’ll even sing “Bark at the Moon,” during the eclipse! Southern Illinois University in Carbondale is holding a variety of events in partnership with NASA Eclipse 2017, the Planetarium of Chicago and the Louisiana Space Consortium. The main

X MARKS THE SPOT: The only location in the U.S. that will see a total eclipse in both 2017 and 2024

2017 Ec lipse P ath

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Williamson County is the center of once-in-a-century events just seven years apart It might not have happened since 1918, but the contiguous U.S. is getting two chances to see a total eclipse in the next seven years, and Williamson County is once again the center of the action. The United States will experience another total eclipse, crossing an opposite diagonal path across of the country, in 2024. If you want to see the eclipse, make sure you protect those peepers. Watching a total solar eclipse with the naked eye or while wearing sunglasses is dangerous. It could cause “eclipse blindness” or retinal burns. To ensure that you and your loved ones are properly protected, obtain the 98

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recommended equipment while supplies last and don’t fail to use it. The ideal equipment includes: • ISO-certified eclipse viewing glasses • Welder’s goggles rated 14 or higher • Telescopes, cameras and binoculars WITH approved solar filters • Pinhole projectors As the date of the eclipse gets closer, more and more people will be rushing out to get the proper viewing equipment. Plan ahead!

TEE UP A REWARDING GOLF TRIPin Williamson County!

Get your game on with a fantastic golf getaway to Williamson County in beautiful Southern Illinois. Our four courses welcome veteran golfers and newcomers alike with a high quality game experience that is both affordabl With accessible and affordable. plenty of nearby hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues, Williamson County is a great place to up your game all season long. Crab Orchard Golf Club 901 West Grand Avenue Carterville, IL www.CrabOrchardGolfClub.com 618-985-2321 Pine Lakes Golf Course 2705 South Park Avenue Herrin, IL 62948 www.PineLakes18.com 618-942-6816

Stardust Golf and Country Club 14756 Stardust Drive Johnston City, IL 62951 618-983-8822

The Links at Kokopelli 1527 Champions Drive Marion, IL 62959 www.KokopelliGolf.com 618-997-5656

800-433-7399 WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

event is a public viewing of the eclipse at the school’s football stadium. But wait. While there’s no doubt that all of the events surrounding the eclipse will be enjoyable, what better place to view this once-in-a-lifetime-wonder than from a golf course! Throughout Jackson and Williamson counties there are several to choose from. Two to consider in Jackson County are Keller’s Crossing at Stone Creek in Makanda and Hickory Ridge in Carbondale. Keller’s Crossing is a Jerry Lemons design that opened in 2000. From the back tees, Keller’s Crossing measures 6,875 yards. Hickory Ridge was designed by William Spear in 1993. From the tips, it measures 6,863 yards. Among the fine choices in Williamson County are Crab Orchard Golf Course and The Links at Kokopelli. Crab Orchard, in

Carterville, was designed by Roy Glenn. It opened in 1959 and measures 6,420 yards. Kokopelli, in Marion, measures 6,716 yards from the back tees. Designed by Steve Smyers, it opened in 1996. But look, no matter where you tee it up in southern Illinois at the moment of the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, for once while playing golf — at least for a few minutes — it’s okay to keep your head up … instead of down. For more information, check out visitsi.com, southernillinoistourism.org and greatamericaneclipse.com.

ROAD TRIP No. 18

More golf than you can shake a 9-iron at. When it comes to championship golf, there’s no better destination than Alabama. Come play where the PGA TOUR professionals compete and see why Golf Digest editors picked two of Alabama’s golf resorts among their favorites. For starters, there are the 468 holes along the world-renowned Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. Stretching from the mountains in the north to the Gulf Coast in the south, America’s original golf trail opened 25 years ago and recently completed a massive renovation of its 26 courses. Then there are the many other impressive courses scattered across the state, designed by the likes of Arnold Palmer and Jerry Pate. Each with its own set of challenges, each with its own rewards. Plan an epic road trip to great golf courses across the state of Alabama.

ABOVE: Blue Sky Winery is ground zero for the eclipse, the epicenter falls in the vineyard. Honker Hill is celebrating with copious amounts of its signature “Goose Juice” (inset). Download Alabama Road Trips from your app store

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Industry Insider

Man on a Mission Rob O’Loughlin has a simple plan to save golf — by making it easier & more fun By Dennis McCann

ob O’Loughlin’s first effort in golf was convincing millions of players to give up the metal spikes that long had been as much a part of the game as wooden tees. Getting Softspikes accepted was an uphill climb, but when is the last time you heard nails on a cart path? Having made golf more comfortable, O’Loughlin moved on to making it more accurate by launching Laser Link Golf, part of his Madison, Wisconsin-based Golf Solutions LLC. The hand-held laser range finders offered another major challenge in that such devices were not permitted in most competitions at the time. Today, of course, laser distance measurers are ubiquitous on courses everywhere, and even the professional tours will conduct trials later this year that could lead to allowing their use in competition. He had predicted the moment would come, but “Rob O’,” as he is widely known, isn’t taking too much credit, especially given that what he had thought might take four years to achieve has taken 15. Anyway, he is already tilting at yet another of golf’s stubborn windmills. He’s trying to make the game more fun. Rob O’Loughlin has spent years trying to make golf more fun, from creating Softspikes to his Laser Link Golf range finder. 102

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Industry Insider

ABOVE: O’Loughlin’s Big Cup invention takes the pain out of putting. BELOW: O’Loughlin’s Laser Link range finder is designed to help increase what he calls the “Golf Joy Index.” Spend time getting O’Loughlin’s thoughts on golf and it’s easy to come away both depressed and cheerful. The golf equipment business is in a downward spiral, with manufacturers shutting down and chain after chain of retail golf stores closing. Too many courses are struggling to survive as the

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number of golfers declines and there is no evidence millennials have interest in a game that is hard to play and, on top of that, takes too long. He used to say the Golf Misery Index, a term he coined, was 20 – meaning 20 bad things happen for every one good thing in a round of golf — and that only by lowering that number would the game attract more players. When a United States Golf Association official told him the term was too negative he changed it to Golf Joy Index, but the low number that resulted told the same story. “I’m not very optimistic right now,” he said. “I think the game is not going to go away, but the things that attracted us to golf (don’t attract young people).” But O’Loughlin has some solutions for that, and even if a few of them make golf purists blanch he is pushing them like the irrepressible salesman he has always been. His latest product is the Big Cup, a plastic device that sits on the green and doubles the WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

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size of the putter’s target without requiring courses to dig larger holes. They’re not for every round of golf, he admits, but the Big Cup is perfect for couples play, for novelty events and especially for juniors just learning the game. “All you get with these is faster play, lower scores and more fun,” he insists. “What part of that don’t you like?” He is toying with a Big Cup that could grab soccer balls as well for use in foot golf. His company also has a partnership with a Korean manufacturer of products like the Voice Caddie, a talking GPS range finder that can be worn on the belt or brim of a cap and deliver distances at the push of a button, and the Swing Caddie, a launch monitor that measures swing and ball speed. While his company’s position has been that lasers are the most accurate measuring devices, especially for highly skilled players who need exact distances, the Voice Caddie is aimed at helping the average player at a lower cost. “It speeds up the game and people want to know the yardage,” he said, “even if they lack the skills to execute.” More than once O’Loughlin started a thought with “If I was the king,” and even he laughs at the preposterous notion golf’s ruling bodies would ever permit that. But if he could be king he would decree more ninehole rounds so more players could enjoy at least that much golf. He would promote the Tee It Forward campaign to give golfers lower scores and, thus, more enjoyment. And anything that could speed the game up would be welcome in Rob O’s kingdom. The Swing Caddie gives you all the details you need about your swing. 106

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“The state of golf has to change, or it’ll never grow. Young people are not interested in games that take five hours and are very difficult to play.” The recently announced changes to the Rules of Golf are generally positive, in O’Loughlin’s view. But why then, he asks, did golf ban the use of anchored putters, which allowed many older players to continue to enjoy the game? Ban them on the PGA Tour, sure, but not for amateurs already struggling with a difficult game. “There’s 24 million golfers,” he said, “and (rules bodies) cater to the top seven- or eight-hundred. I think (simplification) is absolutely necessary. “It’s not a prison sentence, it is fun and games.”

s n e e r & s e G m i G ood T

Please visit www.laserlinkgolf.com for more information.

Away from the links, more good times await. You can experience memorable dining, shopping and attractions across our state. Rest at one of our many boutique hotels, relax at our world-class spas, or just soak in some of our soul-stirring blues in Mississippi’s temperate climate. THE PRESERVE GOLF CLUB - BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI

www.visitmississippi.org

2017 Pro Golf Preview

Keep It Coming

The Open might be shut, but the Midwest’s great tournament train keeps rollin’ The tents are down, the stands are gone, and the trucks have rolled on out of Erin, Wisconsin, following a fabulous U.S. Open Championship at Erin Hills in June. (See our story, starting on page 40.) But that doesn’t mean the fun’s done for tournament golf in the Midwest this summer — far from it. Here’s a rundown of major events still to come in the Midwest:

The Dye Course at French Lick 108

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2017 Pro Golf Preview

Tullymore Golf Club

June 26-July 2, Canadian Lakes, Michigan

July 3-9, Oneida, Wisconsin

July 10-12, French Lick, Indiana

July 17-23, Sylvania, Ohio

Symetra Tour TULLYMORE CLASSIC

LPGA THORNBERRY CREEK LPGA CLASSIC

LPGA Legends Tour SENIOR LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP

LPGA MARATHON CLASSIC

COURSE: Tullymore Golf Club DEFENDING CHAMP: Paola Moreno TV: Golf Channel THE SKINNY: 2017 marks the third year of the tournament.

COURSE: Thornberry Creek at Oneida TV: Golf Channel THE SKINNY: One of four new events on the LPGA calendar, the classic is the first-LPGA sanctioned event in the Green Bay area.

COURSE: Highland Meadows Golf Club DEFENDING CHAMP: Lydia Ko TV: Golf Channel THE SKINNY: The Marathon Classic is one of the longest running events on the LPGA Tour.

June 26-July 2, Olympia Fields, Illinois

July 7-9, French Lick, Indiana

COURSE: Pete Dye Course TV: Golf Channel THE SKINNY: A new event on the Legends Tour that will include in its field of 81 past greats in the women’s game including LPGA and World Golf Hall of-Fame members, current LPGA members and major champions over the age of 45.

LPGA KPMG WOMEN’S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

Symetra Tour FRENCH LICK RESORT SYMETRA CHAMPIONSHIP

COURSE: Olympia Fields Country Club, North Course DEFENDING CHAMP: Brooke Henderson THE SKINNY: One of five majors on the LPGA Tour, a purse of $3.5 million awaits those on the par-71, 6,558-yard Olympia Fields course.

COURSE: The Donald Ross Course THE SKINNY: A new event that is being played as a lead-in to the Senior LPGA Championship that starts the following day at French Lick Resort.

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July 13-16, Silvis, Illinois

PGA Tour JOHN DEERE CLASSIC COURSE: TPC Deere Run DEFENDING CHAMP: Ryan Moore TV: CBS/Golf Channel THE SKINNY: The John Deere Classic returns to a tour slot in July after moving to August in 2016 to accommodate the Olympic Games.

July 24-30, Battle Creek, Michigan

Symetra Tour FIREKEEPERS CASINO HOTEL CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE: Battle Creek Country Club DEFENDING CHAMP: Laura Gonzalez Escallon TV: Golf Channel THE SKINNY: In an event reduced to 36 holes due to weather, Gonzalez Escallon tied the Symetra Tour 36-hole scoring record with a 15-under, 129. WWW.GOLFTIMEMAG.COM

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THE SKINNY: The United States defends its 2015 title against Team Europe at the team match-play event. Juli Inkster will captain the Americans and Annika Sorenstam will lead Team Europe. Aug. 28-Sept. 3, Columbus, Ohio

NATIONWIDE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL CHAMPIONSHIP

July 31- Aug. 6, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Symetra Tour PHC CLASSIC COURSE: Brown Deer Park Golf Course DEFENDING CHAMP: Laura Gonzalez Escallon TV: Golf Channel THE SKINNY: Gonzalez Escallon’s victory in Milwaukee was one of two on the 2016 Symetra Tour for the native of Belgium. She also won the Potawatomi Cup by winning two of the four Potawatomi-Nation sponsored events. Aug. 4-6, Blaine, Minnesota

3M Championship PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS COURSE: TPC Twin Cities DEFENDING CHAMP: Joe Durant TV: Golf Channel THE SKINNY: It’ll be tough to top 2016’s finish: Joe Durant eagled the first playoff hole to defeat Miguel Angel Jimenez who had birdied the hole. Aug. 12, Jackson, Michigan

LPGA Legends Tour WENDY’S CHARITY CLASSIC COURSE: Country Club of Jackson THE SKINNY: 2017 marks the 17th year of the event. Aug. 14-20, Des Moines, Iowa

SOLHEIM CUP COURSE: Des Moines Golf and Country Club DEFENDING CHAMP: United States TV: Golf Channel, NBC 112

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COURSE: Ohio State University, Scarlet Course DEFENDING CHAMP: Grayson Murray TV: Golf Channel THE SKINNY: For 2017, the tournament will become the first of four stops on the Web.com Tour Finals. Sept. 4-10, Indianapolis, Indiana

LPGA INDY WOMEN IN TECH COURSE: Brickyard Crossing Golf Club TV: Golf Channel THE SKINNY: Another new event on the LPGA Tour features the Pete Dye-designed course that weaves throughout the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Sept. 14-17, Vernon Township, Illinois

PGA Tour BMW CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE: Conway Farms Golf Club DEFENDING CHAMP: Dustin Johnson TV: Golf Channel, NBC THE SKINNY: Heavy-hitter Dustin Johnson returns to the Chicagoland area, taking aim at another $1.5 million purse. Sept. 18-24, Beachwood, Ohio

Web.com Tour DAP CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE: Canterbury Golf Club DEFENDING CHAMP: Bryson DeChambeau TV: Golf Channel THE SKINNY: Bryson DeChambeau won a four-way playoff to become the 15th player in Web.com Tour history to win in his first start.

WE’RE BACK IN THE WINDY CITY. Conway Farms Golf Club

Crooked Stick Golf Club September Carmel, IN 14-17, 2017 September 6-11, 2016

100 TABLE GAMES OVER 2,500 SLOTS POKER ROOM & OTB AWARD-WINNING DINING LIVE ENTERTAINMENT LUXURY HOTEL PLAN YOUR VISIT TODAY!